Eco-Friendly Laundry Ideas
Summer's in full swing, and between warm weather play and just plain heat, you're dirtying more clothes and doing more laundry than ever. With electric costs as high as ever--and the thought of your own carbon footprint--what are some alternatives to the standard washer and dryer?
There are currently a number of machines that will wash your clothes without using as much water, electricity, or detergents. The WonderWash will wash 5 pounds of clothing without any electricity (you'll do the work with a hand-crank), minimal water and detergent usage, and only takes a couple minutes. If you're in the market for a new washing machine, be sure to check for the Energy Star label, and aim for a high-efficiency washing machine.
As for detergent, you can now purchase cold water detergents that don't require hot water to wash clothes--since most of the electricity goes towards heating the water--as well as concentrated detergents. Another green alternative are Dropps biodegradable detergents.
Once your clothes are washed, you'll have to dry those loads. Normal tumble dryers are second only to the refrigerator in household energy usage, so look for natural gas dryers. You can also find smaller spin dryers that will dry smaller loads quickly and efficiently. However, the greenest way to dry your clothes is by using the clothesline.
Heidi Bailey, co-owner of environmentally-friendly retail store It's a Cooler Planet, says that she's been drying her clothes by line for quite some time--with excellent results. "My clothes last longer, I'm saving more energy, and my clothes don't smell like perfume. They're just clean." Bailey also notes that drying her clothes on a rack indoors in the wintertime has an added benefit: "The wet clothes add moisture to the air, so it's like a built-in humidifier," she says.
Bailey notes that you can easily find room in your cramped Chicago apartment for your line-drying; retractable clotheslines for hanging clothes up over your bathtub are readily available at any linen supply store. You can also make a homemade wooden dryer rack, or purchase dryer racks made from sustainable materials.
via | A Fresh Squeeze
