It is a scandal. For 50 years the Government of Ontario promoted planning policies that encouraged the building of neat and tidy subdivisions with tight restrictive covenants that prevent all kinds of things that might be ugly, like wind turbines and solar collectors. Now, it's the thin edge of the wedge as they bring in legislation that abolishes restrictions on clotheslines for anyone who lives in a freehold detached, semi-detached or row house.
"We have a clothesline -- both at our home and at our cottage,'' [environment minister Gerry] Phillips said. "My neighbour has her clothes out all winter long . . . . Most homes right now can put up a clothesline and it's worked pretty well.''
Clothes dryers use about 900 kilowatt hours of electricity a year on average, or about six per cent of residential electricity consumption. By hanging one-quarter of their laundry loads out to dry, Phillips said consumers could save about $30 a year on their electricity bills while helping to reduce greenhouse gases.
"It's a no-brainer,'' he said. "It's a really good idea.'' ::Guelph Mercury [2]
Next thing you know people will be allowed to rip up their driveways [3]or put photovoltaics on their roof [4]or build wind farms that I can see from my cottage dock [5]. What is the world coming to?
See also Do Clotheslines Really Lower Property Value? [6] , Get Ready for National Hanging Out Day [7]and ::Fight For Your Right... to Dry [8]
From: http://www.treehugger.com [9]
Links:
[1] http://www.treehugger.com/authors/index.php?author=lloyd
[2] http://news.guelphmercury.com/News/article/285166
[3] http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/05/dont_rip_up_you.php
[4] http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/06/al_gore_gets_a.php
[5] http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/01/cape_wind_an_au.php
[6] http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/10/do_clothes_line.php
[7] http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/04/get_ready_for_n.php
[8] http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/08/fight_for_your.php
[9] http://www.treehugger.com/