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I hate the Laundromat. Nothing like hauling my dirty underwear out in public. All the other poor people looking at my grubby clothes. I'm sitting there in a broken plastic chair, reading a courtesy copy of Morris Dancer Monthly, waiting for my clothes to dry. Not only is the launderette boring and weirdly sticky, it also uses a lot of energy.
At home, the refrigerator is the common appliance that uses the most energy. It is followed by the clothes washer and the clothes dryer. You don't need any electricity to wash your clothes. You can wash them all at home with a washboard.
Take a bath. Leave the water in. Grab your washboard and a bar of laundry soap. Wash your clothes in the bathtub. Drain tub. Rinse clothes. Hang them up to dry. You will save about $160 dollars a year in electricity. You'll also save about 41 gallons of water per year, minus the water you need to rinse the clothes.
You'll also conserve money and gas by not having to go to the Laundromat. You won't have to buy dryer sheets and other badly packaged equipment. Washers and dryers break down if you own your own. A washboard doesn't, and it uses minimal resources. Washing your clothes with a washboard in the bathtub may be a little extra work, but the planet is worth it.
More on Clothing and the Environment
Eco-Tip: Choosing Green Clothing
Is Bamboo Clothing Truly Green?
How to Go Green: Wardrobe : Green Consumerism
Dry Clean Your Clothes Without Harming the Planet
Organic Clothing : Planet Green
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