Saturday, July 26, 2008

The Right To Dry (My 100th Post!!!!)


Last night I was watching ABC's World News with Charles Gibson. I was astonished by one of the stories. Apparently there are some Homeowner Associations who have banned their homeowners from using clotheslines because it is unsightly to them. And three states have already had to enact "Right to Dry" laws....there are seven other states considering it. Umm...excuse me? Since when does anyone have the right to tell someone else what they can do in their own back yard?? I thought this was America, land of the free.

According to the article the average American family spends at least $100 a year for dryer costs. And monthly your dryer is about 1/4 of your energy bill. That's a lot of energy, folks.

I hang most of our laundry outside (or try to). I think clothes blowing in the breeze on a bright sunny day is lovely. I don't know what the big deal is. There are so many positives to hanging your laundry out that their reasons seem pretty darn petty.

I love our air-dried, sun-dried clothes. Nothing smells better than clothes dried outside. They just seem fresher and cleaner than any drier could ever get them.

And I won't even start on how drying your clothes outside will not only save you money, but save our environment.

Go read the article here. And then let me know your thoughts on the issue.

Are clotheslines unsightly?

Do clotheslines bring down the market value of homes?

Should clotheslines be banned?

(P.S. That is my laundry hanging out to dry this morning. I would also like to note that we do not hang our underwear out to dry. I will either run those through the dryer or hang them on our inside line. That's one thing nobody needs to see.)

3 comments:

Janell said...

I LOVE clothes lines! since we live in an apt right now I have to use a drying rack out on the deck. But our new house has a clothes line in the back yard and I can't wait to use it!! I agree, everyone has the right to do whatever they want in their own backyard as long as it doesn't violate laws. I wouldn't hang our underwear out there either because your right, no one needs to see that! but I do hang TJ's diapers out to dry. I can't imagine anyone telling me I can't dry clothes on a clothes line!

Kristina said...

I was talking with my dad recently, talking about clotheslines and an article Husband read about people up in arms about clotheslines. Surprising, but my dad did say that you couldn't get away with a clothesline where he lives.

Erika said...

Everyone should be allowed to hang their laundry out to dry! Our sub does have a deed restriction that says "No laundry shall be hung for drying so as to be readily visible from the street". I'm still waiting for my DH to put one up for me.

 
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