Right To Hang

I read an article today about the issue of hanging clothing out to dry. I was going to post a like, but I can't seem to find it, so please stick with me.

The article was talking about people who live in this country, the US, who are being sued because they hang their laundry out to dry.

Seriously.

Now, I know that clothing hanging from lines is not the most beautiful sight in the world. No one needs to see your underwear flapping in the breeze. But I hardly feel it can be compared to couches on porches or rusty cars on the lawn.

This is not uncommon, apparently. There are quite a few states, including (I think) New Jersey, my home state, with laws against hanging clothes out.

I just don't understand people. Do they not understand the benefits of hanging the clothes out to dry, the savings in cost and energy? Or do they understand them but feel that any benefit is outweighed by how ugly it is?

I happen to think clothes hanging on lines can be quite poetic, and think these people should get lives that include something other than telling other people what they can or can't do.

Water Works

I read somewhere that most electricity used during laundry goes into heating the water.

So I started washing everything in cold water. Guess what? My clothes still get clean! The only time I use warm or hot is when I am washing something that's been peed on.

Not that it's laundry related, but I've also started taking shorter showers, and turning down the heat while I was in there. This is the biggest sacrifice for me, because I usually turn up the water as hot as it will go - in our house, that's not too dangerous, but will still leave my skin red. No more. These days I'm doing just warm. I'm thinking that in a few weeks I won't even notice.

Paper Towels

One of the things I have been resisting is buying recycled paper towels. Other paper towels are softer, more absorbent, and can be purchased in cute patterns or, my favorite, in select-a-size, so you can tear off shorter bits for small jobs.

But just a couple of weeks ago I did it. I figured we used too many paper towels for me to not take this small step.

And the paper towels are really not great. They are more like paper and less like towel. They do the job, sure, and if I had never had anything else I probably wouldn't question it.

And this is when I did something new. I took those old washcloths and dish towels, and I started using THEM. I use an old dish towel to wipe up spilled milk or coffee or water. I use a washcloth to wipe down the table and counter, and I just throw it in the laundry pile when I'm done. I do laundry every day, so they get washed quickly.

We are using far fewer paper towels than we have been, and I haven't had to do any more work. Cool!

Ah - Choo!

It's that time of year - noses are runny. For the past few years I'm purchased those little pocket packs of tissues so that each coat and bag would have one. More often than not, some drink would spill and soak them all, or they would hang out at the bottom of a bag and get so grimy I would just throw them out.

This year, I've gone Hankie. I took the receiving blankets from when my kids were infants and cut up a few of them. One blanket makes nine hankies. They are soft, and colorful, and reusable. I do laundry every day, so I just toss the dirty ones in the laundry room and they get washed within 24 hours. (48 hours at most.)

Taking It All In

I know I haven't posted in a while. But I have not forgotten this blog.

I think I reached a point where I had made all the changes I could make without leaving a certain comfort zone, and I needed to live it for awhile before doing anything else. But this doesn't mean it's over.

I am still buying organic and recycled goods. Still recycling. Still trying to cut down on meat and beef in particular. I am doing my best to keep the heat turned low (It's snowing in October, though, so... yeah). And I am still turning over many ideas in my head. A compost. A bike. Less TV, more writing and sewing and playing outside.

I am very aware that I am not alone in this journey. I an dragging my family along behind me, and a few of them are screaming about the toilet paper and the potential vegetarian meals. Baby steps are crucial.

A Reason To Buy A Brita

I don't use a Brita. Or any sort of water filter to filter the water coming out of my tap.

We have one downstairs. We use well water, and that gets filtered, and that is enough for me.

But I know many, many people that buy bottled water. I never got this. Why pay money for water, when you can turn on your tap? But people assure me it tastes different.

I might simply post this link, and encourage people to buy a Brita. Or another brand of water filter that looks like a pitcher you keep in your fridge.

I have no idea how much of this article is accurate. But if it is, even partially, I am terrified.

Heating Things Up

This time of year I always get the urge to turn the heat up to eighty degrees.

It's just the shock of going from summer to fall. Mostly days are mild, but we have our cold snaps, previews of January and February. Cold.

I never really thought much about heat growing up. I do remember thinking that some of my friends had cold houses. But then again, out kitchen was always freezing. Mostly because we had a dog that knew how to open the door, but not close it behind her.

Now that I pay for my own heating fuel - Oil, here at our house - I am much, much more aware of what the thermostat says.

Still, I rarely make it to October before turning the heat up.

I hear different things about what's best to do, meaning what burns less fuel, and is more economical. Some people think that turning the heat down four degrees at all times is the best thing to do. Clearly, this would burn less fuel. But I think we might freeze.

I recently read an article that said you can leave the heat on, as long as you turned it down by four degrees for eight hours a day. My problem is that I can't find the best time to do this. When to turn it down? We don't leave the house - my husband works from home, and I'm here with the kids all day. Turning it down during the day seems cruel. Turning it down at night... I know people turn down their heat at night, but I don't. I hate being cold at night. I just pile on more blankets and then sweat, and then freeze.

So... what do you do? Anyone have any advice on heat in the winter? I could use some.