tgrtranslation

Someone I know got into trouble once in a Paris laundromat because he was washing not just a load of laundry, but also the clothing he had happened to be wearing at the time. While going without clothing may be the most sustainable option, using a clothesline or drying rack instead of a laundromat will also work, with no misdemeanor charges accrued. We do this, and it keeps the apartment from getting too hot during summer, lowers the electric bill by $100.00 or more a year, and saves about 1.5 to 2 pounds of CO2 for each hour the dryer would have run. This may seem too time consuming for those washing for a household, but even doing drying just half “atmospherically” and half using a conventional dryer over the course of a year will cut your carbon footprint by about 723 lbs of CO2 per year. If you are not sure your carbon footprint justifies the investment of time, check it using the calculator provided by the University of California here: https://coolclimate.berkeley.edu/calculator. My individual footprint is about 9.9 tons of CO2 a year. At that rate, every small savings is necessary. Lowe’s carries a 3-tier collapsible drying rack costing $25.00, or search a local secondhand store if you prefer. Taking the time to air dry may allow us to forestall the day (for some, already upon us) when it’s so hot that no one wants to put on clothes at all! What’s your carbon footprint?