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Airing out the Laundry
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The clothesline, a
simple line of either rope, wire or something similar that is string like. The clotheslines can either be the traditional wire and pulley or
in the 'tree format.'
When I was younger, I always loved seeing our families
sheets being hung from the back yard's tree clothesline. I used to run through
the sheets feeling the cotton run past my skin. I was careful, after the first
few mishaps, to avoid the middle supporting pole ('the trunk') of the tree
clothesline. But running into that pole was the least of my worries, my
mother's wrath of after I messed up the clean sheets she had worked so hard to
launder, was much worse.
Seeing the neighbours string their laundry out on the
pulley stile of clothesline was fascinating. The screech of the pulley would
signify the laundry was about to be strung out. I used to watch for the clothes
and sheets to move out into view. First there was the screech, then a pause,
then another screech, then a pause, then screech and there it was the first
sheets came into view! For some reason watching the neighbour's
laundry moving across their backyard on the line was mesmerizing.
But apparently not everyone finds clotheslines to be that
exciting. In today's Toronto Star Ideas section, a story on
the debate raging over clotheslines today in
the town of Aurora and the province
of Ontario brings this response from one lady:
"I
don't want to see people's dirty laundry," says the woman, who didn't want
to be identified. "We can't be told what to do."
The article further mentions that this lady believes
clothe lines look junky and thus bring down property values.
However, others point that stringing your clothes out to dry in your backyard
helps to reduce power consumption by not having to run your clothes dryer as
much. Reducing power consumption is considered to be good for the environment
because it means coal fired power plants and other fossil fueled electrical
generating stations do not to need to run as much. The government of
This is not always the case. Aurora Mayor, Phyllis
Morris, has taken on the task of
advocating for those in subdivisions who are not allowed to string their
clothes out to dry. Apparently there are subdivision agreements that the
developer has the new homeowner signs. Part of the subdivision agreement
between the developer and the new homeowner in some subdivisions prevents the
erection and use of clotheslines.
Seventy year old Robert Cook of
The Aurora Mayor's fight with the province of this issue has brought national
attention. Ms. Morris pointed out, in last week's Toronto Star
article, that she has been hearing from across the country:
"I'm
hearing from
A national interest in this issue
over clotheslines. added with
an impending
To make matters worse for the Ontario Liberal government, the biggest current
international environmental crusader of today has taken interest in this issue.
Former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore was in
So what is the response of the Liberal government in
For now, Queen's Park is hoping the cities will make the
first move.
"The government's preferred approach
is to work co-operatively with municipalities on this issue," Energy
Ministry spokesperson Sylvia Kovesfalvi says.
Typical government inaction seems to be at its best. On
one hand the government is encouraging residents to reduce power consumption by
turning off lights whenever possible and is
now encouraging municipalities to reduce their energy consumption through a new
infrastructure program. On the other hand,
a simple law change seems to have been buried in other feel good environmental
announcements.
Some might scoff and say the provincial government has to study the issue. But
Aurora Mayor Phyllis Morris would point out that nearly a year ago her pettition on this issue was submitted to the
The upcoming provincial election is the time for Aurora and other
municipalities to press this issue. Local candidates and party leaders should
be questioned on their views on this subject. The Ontario Liberals already have
a poor record on this issue by doing nothing. But what do the Ontario
Conservatives and NDP view this issue? The
Residents should be encouraged to uses their clothes dryers less and their
clotheslines more. Clotheslines reduce the amount of electricity consumed and,
thus, greenhouse gases and other pollutants emanating from fossil fueled
generating stations. Besides the most obvious positives for the environment,
will the governments think of the children? All children should enjoy being a
little mischievous by being able to run threw the drying laundry on the line.
About the only downside of this issue is the mother's blood pressure when they
see some muddy hand prints in the freshly laundered bed sheets. But a little
high blood pressure is so little a sacrifice in comparison to saving the
environment.
Works Cited
“Flick Off”: Sir Richard Branson
& Ontario Environment Minister Laurel Broten
Headline Coalition to fight Global Warming.” Ministry of the Environment of Ontario.
Lindgren, April. “Ont. unveils program
to help municipalities go green. Canada.com.
Morris, Phyllis. “The Right to Dry:
Aurora Town Council votes unanimous support.” Phyllismorris.net. Online.
Internet. June 2007. Available: http://www.phyllismorris.net/righttodry/index1.html.
Ransberry, Joan. “Morris sends Gore T-shirt.” Yorkregion.com.
Srikanthan, Thulasi. “Clotheslines: Righteous or
déclassé?” Toronto
Star.
Links
Canada.com – www.canada.com
Government of
Ministry of the Environment – www.ene.gov.on.ca
Phyllis Morris – www.phyllismorris.net
Town of
Yorkregion.com – www.yorkregion.com
![[clothesline%20Project.gif]](laundry_files/image004.jpg)