Now there’s even more:

Logical Response

What do YOU think?

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Meh.

First of all, after being ill last week and laundry piling up despite my new laundry schedule, I cheated.

Yes, O Internet, I cheated. I so cheated! I used the dryer not for one load but for six loads of laundry. I just couldn’t handle a day or two of line drying the clothes taking over my living space, especially since I had six loads of laundry to dry. I just couldn’t do it again! And while those set-ups to line dry clothing are nice, I’m currently in getting-out-0f-debt mode, which means every spare dollar is headed toward that.

Is it possible?

Yes. Easily done for an apartment-dweller? Well, not so much. Like I said before, it must be a planned effort to not interfere with living spaces and the rest of your routine.

Is it worth it?

If you can manage, then definitely – the sure positives of this experiment where the laundromat savings and the energy savings.

The bottom line

Only do this if you have the time and can coordinate line drying your clothes to not interfere with your life. Otherwise, only wash what is truly dirty and use the dryer only when necessary.

Image courtesy of Michelle Meiklejohn.

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The weekends are usually the craziest days at the GYA household, so instead of being put away when the usual, sane manner, they hung around the house as we rushed in and out of the apartment. However, once I’m finished with this post, it’s off to folding and putting away the end of last week’s laundry.

Let’s hope this week I fare better!

So, our situation thus far:

Pros

• I saved $6.60 on laundry last week from not using the dryers in our apartment’s on-site laundromat. In a year, that’s a $343.20 savings!
• Our clothes still seemed soft (I use a biodegradable, plant-derived fabric softener) and the darks dried darker-looking than usual.

Cons

• Air drying the clothes is taking over my living and dining rooms as well as the closet. Not cool!
• It does take awhile: the jeans took 12 hours to dry indoors while most of the t-shirts and miscellaneous items took 6.

Solution I’ll Try

• I’ve been toying with the idea of purchasing this. It boasts “60 feet of drying space in a small space”. I’m thinking this is perfect for me. If I were to get this, I could hide it in this awkward nook in the vanity area of our bathroom which is out of sight enough I wouldn’t be embarrassed when the neighbor drops by but easy enough to use and fold up.

We’ll see how this week goes as I have yet to line dry our sheets and blankets. That ought to be interesting. In the meanwhile, let me know what you think of this set up and any tips you might have in the comments. Thanks!

Headline photo courtesy of Suat Eman.

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The rules: the first week of each month I’ll name the experiment and how I’ll be trying it. This month is line drying our clothing. Since I don’t have a yard and line drying in sight on our balcony is banned, this will mostly be an indoor experiment. I will update you on the cost, the savings, the hassles, and the ease of line drying and see where it takes us.

To start, I do not have a drying rack like either of these. What I do have is some chairs and a 20-foot cord we used to use to leash the dog at the park. I also have plenty of hangers and a bathroom to hang them in. This may be changing though.

The experiment starts tomorrow in sync with the new laundry routine I’m implementing as seen at Unclutterer (scroll down to #6 to see the schedule). Thank you Erin for your continuous inspiration! In the meanwhile if you have done this before or have questions about the experiment, please share in the comment section and I will be happy to respond.

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Until then, check out our archives from the list below!

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First, note that winter is December through February in the Northern hemisphere and that’s what I’m basing this guide on.

Winter fruits:

• Berries: cranberries
• Citrus: the bounties of blood oranges, tangerines, clementines, kumquats abound
• Persimmons
• Pomegranate

Winter vegetables:

• Brussel sprout
• Chard
• Collards
• Jicama
• Kale
• Mustard greens
• Red cabbage
• Squash: acorn, banana, butternut, hubbard, pumpkin
• Sweet potato
• Yam

As I’ve said before, the benefit of eating in season is you are more likely to be purchasing local items as they are in season in your area as it is cheaper and locally available.

So enjoy your sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows and some beef stew with mustard greens guilt-free. Happy winter eating!

Photo courtesy of Julie A. Wenskoski at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

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But eating in season? That wasn’t something that crossed my mind. In fact, I realized I did not even know when most fruits and vegetables came into season! Yes, that is how out-of-touch with our world we city-dwellers and suburbanites have become.

So I thought to myself, “What the heck is in season?” After scouring the internet and dozens of sites, I compiled a list as a crib sheet that I keep next to my master grocery list on the fridge. And here, I’ll share it with you!

First, note that autumn is September through November in the Northern hemisphere.

Autumn fruits:

• Apples
• Berries: blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries
• Figs
• Grapes come to their best in autumn
• Pears
• Plums

Autumn vegetables:

• Broccoli
• Carrots are their most robust this season
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Chicory
• Corn
• Fennel
• Jerusalem artichoke
• Leeks
• Onion
• Parsnip
• Peppers
• Potato
• Pumpkin
• Radish
• Squash
• Sweet potato
• Turnip
• Zucchini

The benefit of eating in season is you are more likely by default to be purchasing more local items as they are in season in your area. Most grocers try to get the best price on produce and in season is cheaper locally. This also means your wallet will benefit from the savings and the planet will appreciate you not having your produce shipped from half-way across the world.

But, and perhaps on a spiritual/emotional note, you will be reconnecting to the earth in the simplest form – eating the bounty while it’s available. You’ll be enhancing that feeling you get when you smell pumpkin spice bread on a crisp autumn morning or pumpkin pie the week of Thanksgiving. The seasons can give you more to celebrate and enjoy if only you take the time to be in sync.

Happy harvest eating!

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It not only makes sense but has a ring of poetic justice to it too: maybe the American dream is what is indeed killing America.

Suburbia. Suburban sprawl. The Suburban?

The Congress for the New Urbanism (who I love with all my green heart!) set up a contest earlier this year for a video that could convincingly promote “walkable, neighborhood-based development”. Let me tell you, the winner created a remarkably convincing presentation.

(“Built to Last” by First + Main and Paget Films.)

So, back to the question: what can you do about the environmental crisis right now?

Need some milk from the store? Take an evening stroll. Dry cleaners? Find one within a mile or two and take the bike. The less you drive, the more money you save, the more calories you burn. But most importantly, the less you fossil fuels consume and the less pollution you pump into your air.

What can you do about it in the long term?

When you are looking for that perfect apartment, let Walk Score help you score the perfect home. That’s right – you type in your potential new address and let it tell you how walkable your life will be. Local bars and restaurants? Library? Grocery store? The Walkability Score will then rank if your potential home is a “walkable” one, but also tell you how your address rates compared to others in the area.

It’s just that easy. As you go about your day, choose well. Take a walk, get some fresh air, and save the planet.

___________________

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But why that order?

1. Reduce

Here is a great example we have all come across: if you can get one one-hundred-ounce bottle of concentrated laundry detergent why buy two fifty-ounce bottles? It is a simple answer: you shouldn’t. A general rule when purchasing a product is that if it will not go bad or go to waste, get the economy size. It reduces the packaging used and often, the burden on your wallet.

2. Reuse

I have a confession: it has been awhile since I have purchased food storage containers. Why? Because I reuse those huge glass pasta sauce jars for my pastas, soups, and side dishes. For main courses I have large glass bowls with a plastic lid that have served me nicely for years.

Another confession? I have reused cereal boxes to ship my eBay items which are cushioned by ripped up magazines I have already read and junk mail flyers. An old tea pot that was stained and burned beyond repair? That can quickly become a colorful planter for a houseplant. In fact, you could even reuse that one-hundred-ounce jug that had laundry detergent in it as a jug to water your plants with (after a thorough cleaning, of course).

The key to reusing is to “think outside of the box” and ask yourself how you can reuse what you already have to fulfill the needs you have elsewhere. This also helps save you money and time by not having to shop for new items!

3. Recycle

Now we finally come to recycling. The milk jugs you did not turn into bird feeders should be recycled. The glass jars you just can’t use, recycle them. But since you have already reduced your waste and reused what you can, even the amount you recycle will be reduced. Less money spent and less stress on the environment – go you!

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How about you?

You can join Myspace’s black out, watch Oprah get gorgeously green or get political and call your representative to urge them to enact stricter environmental changes. Just make sure you do something today to honor the planet that supports your life.

Happy Earth Day!

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