This week recognizes the shared distinction of being both Zero Waste Week and the start of Clotheslines Across America.
My Zero Waste is the creation of Britain’s Mrs. Green in an effort to put the spotlight on the issues of wastefulness and rubbish output in the U.K. and beyond.
Mrs. Green and her family of three have yet to require a garbage pick-up this year, which is pretty darned impressive in my book.
I just put out my trash today for my monthly pick-up, which had been five weeks in the making. My 20 gallon bin was full, full, full and almost too heavy to lift. We won’t even talk about what five-week-old cat litter smells like once it’s been through a heat wave or two. I’ll just let you use your imagination.
Zero Waste Week is Mrs. Green’s concentrated effort to help the rest of learn how to decrease our garbage output. Click here to learn all you can about Zero Waste Week.
Project Laundry List's Awesome Ride
Alexander Lee is the founder of Project Laundry List, a non-profit advocacy group working to ensure the rights of laundry-hanger-uppers across our great nation. Lee’s group has not only helped enact legislation for The Right to Dry, but is currently on a East coast-ish Clotheslines Across America tour to publicize the issues of clothesline bans and spread the gospel of evaporation.
Mr. Lee is now on tour, traveling to nine cities and towns including New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Washington, DC; St. Louis, MO; and Aurora, ON. British filmmaker Steven Lake will follow his every move. Project Laundry List is making air-drying and cold-water washing acceptable and desirable as simple and effective ways to save energy when cleaning your clothes.
Lee even has a Project Laundry List Facebook group to keep us all up to date.
And one last thing, Alexander is asking for donations to support Project Laundry List through his Facebook Group in lieu of birthday gifts.
So . . . Happy 35th Birthday Alex, it’s all uphill from here!
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Luckily I live in an older neighborhood where there are no restrictions on hanging laundry. I do my laundry around weather forecasts so I can hang out as much laundry as I can. When the weather doesn’t cooperate for me to use my “solar dryer” , I have a small spare room dedicated to hanging laundry on racks.
Our family has also consciously made the effort to make less laundry. By that I mean, changing clothes and tossing them in the laundry basket less often. Not every item of clothing needs to be laundered after one wearing. I must admit, I was probably the biggest culprit of this offense in our family. But I changed my ways because I like doing less laundry!
Do you compost? If so, I highly recommend compostable cat litter. The one I have is little pellets made from pine saw dust, which both smells great and composts very nicely. And I don’t have to drag it in the garbage to the curb anymore.
When I hear people’s lamebrain excuses, er, reasons why hanging laundry to dry is Bad, I want to tear my hair. “It makes the neighborhood look lower-class,” they opine. Get *over* yourselves, seriously! Alexander Lee, I salute you.
Oh lovely post – thank you so much for writing about national zero waste week; we appreciate your support on this.
We’re having a great week so far and many people are doing their bit to join in. It doesn’t take much; just one habit change has a ripple effect which can add up to significant change 🙂
And what great work Alex is doing regarding line drying; we have made this easy for ourselves – we got rid of the tumble dryer which means we cannot be tempted by it any more!
Maybe this will be the week I *finally* get my clothesline hung up.
For me hanging out clothes is an enjoyable experience. I get to see clouds roll by, hear birds sing and see what is blooming in the yard. The clothes come out so fresh smelling. When I was growing up clotheslines were a part of life. Have we become so materialistic that we are afraid of what the neighbors will think? You just might find that putting up a clothesline will inspire some of your neighbors to do the same. I always am considerate of my neighbors. My clothesline is in the back yard, but I’m proud of it. Nothing to hide here.