So on the heels of the Grassroots Green event, I was reading through the Green Living Guide (which everybody should buy!) and noticed a small article promoting the drying of clothes on a clothesline instead of an electric (or gas) drier. I didn’t even realize, though I shouldn’t have been shocked, that many HOA’s, landlords, etc. have banned clothesline-drying on primarily aesthetic and property value grounds. But apparently, the resulting controversy is big enough as to make national news.
So the question is: should a good city – and her residents – encourage the unsightly but environmentally-friendly practice of clothesline-drying? Or promote a more “beautiful” city by mandating the more sightly, but less environmentally-friendly use of electric dryers?
- Scott Greider
Boston’s North End
In my particular section of Queens, the clotheslines stretch behind the houses, and can’t really be seen from the front streets. Perhaps there’s a happy medium that would allow for clotheslines without compromising “aesthetics”?
Put me down as not wanting to criminalize frugality.
Clotheslines behind house should be no problem — unless you live in a neighborhood with no front porches and plenty of backyard decks. Then neighbors will not want their view sullied, I imagine.
Interestingly…the clothes lines in back yards are typically on private property. The clothes lines across streets and alleys are in the public right-of-way.