Our goal is to convince 350 people in the Valley, by October 24, to “Retire their Dryer” and air-dry their clothes on lines or racks – outside or inside.
Sign up your commitment to energy free, air drying right here !
Reasons to put up a clothesline:
- Fresh air. It is wonderful to step outside and just be there for a few minutes while hanging clothes. Check up on the birds, the garden, or your neighbors, inhale the air and enjoy the day.
- Fresh air. Air-dried sheets and towels smell wonderful. They will remind you of outside and fresh air when you use them.
- Save money. More and more people are seeing their dryers as an unnecessary extravagance. They use a huge amount of energy. Watch your electric bill take a substantial dip. Zero Energy Drying is IN. (Use the “proceeds” for dinner out and a movie.)
- Help save the planet! Reduce your “footprint” of energy use. Retiring your Dryer can be huge. 350 “retirings” in the Valley will be a very significant reduction in carbon emissions.
Need Help? Contact Green Northampton, david.starr@comcast.net, for help in installing your clothesline.
Click here for a list of Frequently Asked Questions about airdrying laundry and about this project!
Green America says:
“Firing” your clothes dryer would likely achieve that first year’s ten percent reduction all by itself, because in many households, the dryer is the third-most energy-hungry appliance, after the refrigerator and washer. Air-drying your clothes can reduce the average household’s carbon footprint by a whopping 2,400 pounds a year.” (For complete article go to http://greenamericatoday.org/pubs/realgreen/articles/dryer.cfm )
Living in a condominium? Many condominium associations have by-laws forbidding outside drying of clothes. Now is the time to write your Association a letter recommending a change in the by-laws. Encourage your condo assoc. to set an example and be ahead of the curve.
Resources: Check your local hardware store!
Sponsors: This project is endorsed and supported by The Northampton Committee to Stop the War; Green Northampton; AFSC (Western Mass); The Northampton 350.org Committee; and many enthusiastic individuals who are currently drying their clothes in the breeze!!!
For more information, contact:
- Susan Lantz 586-3544; susan@sblantz.com
- Molly Hale 585-0791 hellomolly@comcast.net
Stayed tuned: At some point we’ll have a group photo op to put on the 350.org page. We welcome any ideas, thoughts, comments you might have. Feel free to get the word out anyway that works for you.