The Right to Dry Clothes - Outside

Drying clothes outside has been a normal activity since the beginning of time - or at least since humans decided they wanted clean clothes to wear. Nevertheless, there are communities and housing associations that have passed ordinances or other laws as a means of restricting homeowners and renters from hanging clothes outside in the public view of anyone who might see them.

What would these folks do if dryers had not yet been invented? Have the American people become so prudish about drying clothing that laws need to be passed to prevent such a crime from occurring? Who would have thought there would be a need to repeal such a ruling made by various organizations, counties, and states?

Not everyone had the ability to go out and capture or kill an animal for its skin to be made into a coat or the skills to weave a shirt out of vegetable fibers each and every time they wanted something clean to put on. Clothes have been hung from tree branches, over bushes, and on clotheslines for thousands of years. Suddenly, a bunch of people decide that seeing wet clothing drying in the sunshine is abruptly not acceptable or have developed a notion that it is not aesthetically pleasing to their surroundings. How ironic that many of these same people claim to be adherents to the "green" environment.

Not only does hanging clothes outside result in a fresh, clean, and pleasing scent but it also saves an average of $100.00 a year on electric bills for every family that uses a dryer. This savings was especially beneficial to Kevin Firth after he was fined $100.00 for putting up a clothesline in a common area located within his housing association in Dublin, PA.

Meanwhile, organizations such as Project Laundry List, a nonprofit organization, which demonstrates that personal choices can make a difference for the earth and its people by advocating saving money, energy, and reducing greenhouse gases by the use of natural energy supplied by the sun and wind. This issue has fostered "Right to Dry legislation in the United States and Canada in order to repeal anti clothes hanging restrictions. Of course, many brave and courageous individuals like Carin Froehlich of Perkasie, PA and Kevin Firth are fighting against these aesthetic issue laws and other legal restrictions against the right to hang laundry outside. Obviously, it is time once again to bring back "common sense".

I had no idea hanging clothes outside on a clothesline (of all things) was against the law in some states and I reckon I never thought about the fact that hanging out my undies could possibly be considered a criminal offense. Well, I take that statement back only to add a disclaimer. Hanging out my substantially large pieces of underwear might be considered offensive to some and especially to those fortunate enough to use tags of fabric and ersatz lint as their "unmentionables". If I could even see those particular pieces of clothing flapping in the breeze, it would only be possible with the use of binoculars or other high-tech electronics. Would that not be called "voyeurism" instead?

Resources:
U.S. residents fight for the right to hang laundry, By Jon Hurdle Jon Hurdle, Nov 18 2009
The "Right to Dry" Campaign, Project Laundry List, www.laundrylist.org