The Right to Dry: A Green Movement Is Roiling America (clothesline liberation)

[jpak]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119007893529930697.html

BEND, Ore. -- It was a sunny, 70-degree day here in Awbrey Butte, an exclusive neighborhood of big, modern houses surrounded by native pines.

To Susan Taylor, it was a perfect time to hang her laundry out to dry. The 55-year-old mother and part-time nurse strung a clothesline to a tree in her backyard, pinned up some freshly washed flannel sheets -- and, with that, became a renegade.

The regulations of the subdivision in which Ms. Taylor lives effectively prohibit outdoor clotheslines. In a move that has torn apart this otherwise tranquil community, the development's managers have threatened legal action. To the developer and many residents, clotheslines evoke the urban blight they sought to avoid by settling in the Oregon mountains.

"This bombards the senses," interior designer Joan Grundeman says of her neighbor's clothesline. "It can't possibly increase property values and make people think this is a nice neighborhood.

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[Avalux]

1. I put up a clothesline a couple of weeks ago.

Does anyone remember what air-dried clothes smell like? It's wonderful. Good for Awbrey. Let's hope she doesn't get tasered cause she has an ugly clothesline bringing down property values.

[rubberducky]

2. Sheets dried outside are heaven!

[Warpy]

4. Wasn't much fun in New England

when they'd freeze on the line. It was like bringing in sheet sized cardboard.

[xxqqqzme]

7. When I was a kid, my mom brought

in the frozen clothes & ironed them. Those were the softest clothes I have ever worn - sheets as well. She had a roller steam iron that she used for sheets - this was before perma press anything -and the frozen sheets went through that roller. Those sheets felt like 750 thread count cotton sateen.

[madrchsod]

12. my grandmom had one of those

steam rollers ya they were the best...

[klook]

3. Just tell 'em it's a Christo-esque art project

and have a "meet the artist" wine & cheese reception in your backyard. Then they'll be all for it.

[neweurope]

5. To a German that sounds crazy...

First of all sun dried clothes smell nice and fresh without any chemicals in the water, white clothes will get bleached by the sun without any Chlorox at all, and mostly YOU DON'T NEED ENERGY!!!

But of course - (not only) in order to not have to see a clothesline you attack Iraq... enough oil for your nation...

It's criminal in my opinion to use energy for something that can be done without energy. Global warming, peak oil... it's we all that cause it. Every single individual.

-------------------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[Raejeanowl]

6. What A Shame

But did she or did she not move into this subdivision knowing the regulations?

While I'm not fond of the sight of other people's underwear, I happen to agree with her, so I hope she will work with the managers and property owners. There may be ways of getting a consensus on getting all of them moving in greener directions.

You'd think people who lived in Oregonian places with picturesque names like Awbrey Butte, nestled among beautiful pine groves, would care about such things as the environment, wouldn't you?

Or do they only care about what interior designers have to say about creating faux natural settings?

[CrispyQ]

8. Ahhhh, freshly laundered line dried sheets make for great sleeping!

"This bombards the senses," interior designer Joan Grundeman says of her neighbor's clothesline. "It can't possibly increase property values and make people think this is a nice neighborhood."

OMG! There is clean laundry hanging in their back yard!!

This woman needs to get a life. :eyes:

[unpossibles]

13. oh noes! not your precious property values!

move back to the city then, Joan.

Frankly, I wish people (in general) could be more substance minded and less image obsessed.

[Mythsaje]

9. Hey, Joan?

Bite me, you mindless little twit. THIS is a prime example of what's wrong with America. Methane-Breathers, the lot of them.

Bend is a beautiful city. It used to be overrun with old hippies. Now it's being overrun by pretentious yuppie types.

This SO shouldn't even be an issue.

[jimnasium]

10. Sheesh!!! It's in her BACKYARD!!!

There are some HOA's that are completely out of control.

BTW, Ms. Grundeman... People giving a damn about the environment DOES make me think it's a nice neighborhood!

Bloodsuckers like her just make me want to go Grrrr!

[madrchsod]

11. i took mine down last week cause it was cold for a week...opps

85 degrees and 70`s through next week...guess i`m putting it back up