Hi from a new British member

Hi everyone - I am living in the (currently) sunny south east of England and got interested in the Laundry List after a visit to the USA (OK I suppose the flight wasn't very environmentally friendly but we were visiting lots of relatives & we do try & be green the rest of the year).

I was really shocked when I was told by an uncle not to bother to hang out the laundry on a sunny day because you might as well use the dryer & outside drying was not good for towels - news to me after 55 years of hanging out and seeing my mum hang out! Then a cousin's son had a school project to do the laundry. His check list ended with "put bleach in the machine" then finally "put clothes in the dryer". In the UK we never use bleach in machines as considered bad for the workings. As it was a sunny day I suggested that he would create a good impression with the teacher if he said he had hung the washing out to save energy - the environment is very high on the agenda in UK schools. I was told by an embarressed cousin that the teacher would not know what he was talking about. I could hardly believe this - are we living on the same planet.

Then the worst thing was our cousin in Georgia who with 3 young children is actually BANNED from hanging out her washing on her (very nice but not exactly luxury by UK standards) estate.

I live in the perhaps most affluent area of the UK - house prices average around $1 million at least - no one thinks twice about seeing laundry hanging outside. In fact most people would view someone NOT hanging out on a good drying day as rather lazy and perhaps the less charitable would think they were a bit "chav"/common/like Victoria Beckham but I would not be so judgemental (at least that's my story)

It is not easy being green & I cannot pretend that I do not drive a car (although we now drive my little Nissan Micra rather than my husband's work car when we can at petrol -gas - is now around $8 for your gallon) nor do I have solar panels etc which are still very expensive over here. however tumble drying wastes so much energy & hanging out washing takes so little time & gives such lovely smelling laundry that it seems a no brainer way to do your bit & save some cash in the process.

Good luck with your campaign - I keep trying to find Engish people to convert to line drying however am pushing at an open door as I cannot find anyone round here who does not line dry at least on fine days.