What We Can Do

[helwen]

Excellent post by Rufinia -- quote about how if we want change and improvement in our country we're going to have to help make it happen.

I agree completely, and have in fact already written to my local representative and senator today. About clotheslines. I know, probably sounds stupid, but a lot of folks use a lot of energy to dry clothing. From what I can find online, anywhere from 6% to 15% of home energy use goes into drying clothes. That's quite a bit actually, and in dollars it adds up.

Why write to legislators about this? Because a lot of people can't hang anything up outdoors -- many rentals and also home owner associations. Why isn't it allowed? Because only poor people would do such a thing, of course.

These days, even our electric company is putting ads on television and in with the billing statement with ideas on how to save energy. Why would they do that? Well in part because they have a hard time providing enough energy during times of extreme weather, when lots of people crank up their AC or heaters -- residents saving energy are a boon to them in being able to provide power in a predictable and reliable manner.

So yeah. It's our country, let's all do something!

And now, I'm going to shut down the PC for a while :)

Comments

[amykb.livejournal.com]

I miss being able to hang out clothes.

[lauradi7.livejournal.com]

In some places, it's because the lawn-care folks are all contracted by the central organization and claim that clotheslines get in their way (that is what my parents-in-law were told, and there are indeed some unwieldy machines that storm through their back yard). It isn't always class snobbery. It is always goofy, though. Maybe in such cases they could just say no clothes out on lawn day or something, and people could have retractable clotheslines.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Interesting about the lawn-care folks. Your suggestion is an excellent one though -- just like parking on one side of the street after a snowstorm and then moving them all to the other side the next day for the plows. Our lines aren't retractable and we have a riding lawn mower -- I wonder how tall a mower can get? The major problem is if there's clothing on the lines. We take them down for the winter though, in case we have to run a plow around to the back for some reason, since that's on a tractor and nobody wants to go out in the winter anyway.

There are some places that specifically don't allow it because of appearances, though -- some of these places also don't allow "practical" plants -- fruits, veggies, etc. It's amazing what sorts of rules some of the HOAs have... friends of mine used to live in one some years ago and weren't allowed to have any sort of lawn ornament... not that I'm into lawn ornaments myself, but... definitely not a place I would ever choose to live in.

Like the lawn day notice though; it would be a good compromise.

lawn ornaments

[lauradi7.livejournal.com]

This brings to mind one of the occasional times that I was absolutely in agreement with Alan Dershowitz. He was explaining why he thought people should sue towns/cities that have religious displays (like a manger scene at Christmas time)because of first amendment issues, but gave the contrasting example of someone who wanted to have a shrine (what I think of as Mary in a bathtub) in the yard but the homeowners' association wouldn't allow it. He offered to defend them pro bono also on 1st amendment grounds - they are free to express their own beliefs (especially, one would think, on their own property).

[bronx-baroness.livejournal.com]

Practically speaking? Unplug all the appliances in your home that aren't in use. That saves a whole lot of energy and money right there.

Esthetically speaking? IF everyone tried being kinder to everyone else the world would be a better place. Studies show that in the last three years we've all gotten meaner to each other, more rude, less patient, downright violent sometimes.
Now I always say that speed of the leader is speed of the team, so if you want something to change, start with who's in charge.

So no matter what you're in charge of, be kind to everyone else. Have some respect for your fellow person and lets see how things start changing then.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Yup, all good things!