Getting ready: Clothes dryer a home energy thief – Seacoastonline.com

Electric clothes dryers consume more than 7% of the average household’s electricity usage, more than any other home appliance. If you can air-dry your clothes instead, you can eliminate half a ton of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year. Bonus effects are longer life-spans for your clothes, average savings of $100 a year, and knowing you are taking another step toward reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from your home.

Reducing or eliminating dryer use is another EcoHOMES action. EcoHOMES, a York Ready for 100% project, is open to everyone and is based on residents helping each other and the Town of York reach our 2030 emissions reduction goal.

Two key strategies to reduce our personal GHG emissions are (a) reducing our electricity use and (b) switching our electricity supply to solar or other renewable sources. If you have already changed to a renewable electricity source, then you have resolved the electric dryer issue. If not, we hope you will consider drying your laundry the old-fashioned way — air-drying, indoors or outside.

Air-drying our clothes, like changing to LED light bulbs, is a relatively easy switch that, when combined with other energy-reducing strategies, makes a significant difference in our annual expenses for electricity and reduces the GHG coming from our homes. And there are other reasons to air-dry our clothing and linens:

— Air-dried clothing and linens feel and smell fresher.

— Clothing is gently treated and lasts longer.

— Dryer sheets are unnecessary, so their chemicals are avoided.

— The increased physical activity of hanging laundry may promote healthy weight.

— Sunlight helps whiten and disinfect laundry.

— Increased indoor humidity in winter benefits health and comfort.

— Hanging clothes outside can be a calming, meditative experience.

— A drying rack is inexpensive and a one-time purchase.

— Dryers are the cause of more than 15,000 house fires each year in the United States, but of course they do not occur with air-drying.

There are several options for air-drying your clothes outdoors: You could:

String a line: This is the simplest option. You could tie each end of a clothesline to something stationary, like trees or buildings.

Hang a loop: Secure a clothesline loop between two pulleys, which is a good solution for hanging laundry from a second floor.

Plant metal or wooden poles: Dig two holes, fill with cement if possible, insert poles, and if there is no cement, secure them with dirt and rocks and string a line between them.

Purchase a “whirligig,” which resembles an umbrella. It can be turned while you stand still and is collapsible.

Purchase a drying rack, a modest investment that is portable and useful all year, either inside or out. A drying rack can hold an entire load of wash. Many models can be folded and put aside when not in use. (Adapted from TheSpruce.com.)

We can’t always air-dry our clothing and linens. For times when you really must use your machine dryer, these handy tips will still save money and reduce your carbon footprint:

— Many modern washing machines offer high-speed spin options, which extract more moisture from your clothes and thus reduce drying time.

— Don’t over-dry your clothes. Check your dryer for a “less dry” option, which uses less power. Slightly damp clothes will dry as you fold them.

— Some dryers have a moisture sensor, which indicates the moisture level in the load and limits drying time.

— Clean the dryer filter after every load to improve dryer efficiency.

— Wash less often; it may not be necessary to wash clothing and other items after every use. (Adapted from consumerreports.org.)

Some folks think clotheslines and racks are old-fashioned, and that using them most or all of the time will not change the world. But actually, racks and lines address a contemporary issue: by using them we reduce the carbon emissions coming from our homes. They can replace or reduce the use of the clothes dryer, which produces more GHG than any other appliance.

To achieve the carbon emissions goals of our Climate Action Plan (50% reduction by 2030 and 100% reduction by 2050), which voters approved, we need to take every step available to us, including changing the ways we electrify our homes and how we use that power. Ultimately, we and our descendants will be affected by the choices we make now. Even small changes become significant when combined with others and the efforts of other community members.

For more information, comments and questions, visit yorkreadyfor100.org/air-dry-your-clothes.

York Ready for 100% is a grassroots citizens’ organization dedicated to building sustainability and reducing the causes of climate change and its effects on humans and the natural world. For more information see yorkreadyfor100.org or info@yorkreadyfor100.org. Information on EcoHOMES and how to join us is at the same site.

Original Source: https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/opinion/columns/2021/07/07/getting-ready-clothes-dryer-home-energy-thief/7867227002/