Sometimes we don't see what is right in front of us. Doing chores around the house this weeked included doing a few loads of laundry. Rather than use an energy-intensive electric or gas clothes dryer, I've gotten into the habit of using a good old-fashioned solar- and wind-powered clothes dryer for 90%+ of my laundry - the clothes line. It occurred to me while hanging a load of laundy, that this simple device is in essence a solar and wind powered clothes dryer. Rather than focusing on high-tech energy alternative energy choices, maybe we need to look at some low-tech options as well. The good old-fashioned clothes line seems a perfect example.
Clothes dryers are one of the biggest energy users in the typical home, second behind the refrigerator. Estimated yearly operating costs for dryers vary widely, but a range of $50 - $100 is probably typical for most American households. Ok, maybe that's not that significant a cost for most people, but if you're looking for small ways to trim your energy footprint, consider the trusty old clothes line.
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