Strange

Ontario clothesline ban to be thrown to the wind

by Rob Peters | January 22, 2008 at 10:24 am

2106 views | 1 Recommendation | 11 comments

Clotheslines are illegal in parts of Ontario, apparently because they're ugly.

I applaud the government for at last letting loose laundered loungewear hanging in the air.

It's a law many consider outdated given current energy conservation concerns, which is part of the reason the province is moving to remove bans on clotheslines.

Outdoor clotheslines are currently banned in some parts of the province under municipal bylaws and in some cases contracts with home builders, usually for aesthetic reasons, but Ontario is examining allowing anyone living in a freehold detached, semi-detached or row house to put one out in their yard.

Clothes dryers consume on average 900 kilowatt hours of electricity a year, or six per cent of residential consumption. If a quarter of that was hung out to dry not only would it reduce greenhouse gases but it'd also save consumers $30 a year on their electricity bills.

After their 2003 election victory the Liberals passed an energy conservation leadership law with a clause that would allow them to end local bans on clotheslines.

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jciv

at 12:36 on January 22nd, 2008

I wonder how many other places ban them. And how carefully the ban is enforced.

jciv has contributed a photo to this story.

KathG

at 18:26 on January 22nd, 2008

This photo was taken in Maine where laundry dries free - thank goodness! I come from New Zealand and was stunned when I realised that I hadn't seen any clotheslines in urban or suburban areas of the US where I now live. Yay for overturning the ban!

KathG has contributed a photo to this story.

noobits

at 18:43 on January 22nd, 2008

No Clotheslines? What a crock!

noobits has contributed a photo to this story.

tiffanykrumpack

at 18:49 on January 22nd, 2008

This photo was taken in my friends backyard. Her parents are earth loving eco friendly people. i felt compelled to take this image because of the simplicity and beauty that it represents. Its horrible that it would ever be banned.

sallymannsfan has contributed a photo to this story.

robinm

at 18:49 on January 22nd, 2008

I think they do help the look of the neighbourhood if they're at the back of the house, rather than the front ... However there's nothing like the smell of fresh laundry straight off the line!!

We never use a dryer.

AnaBoz

at 21:57 on January 22nd, 2008

Clothesline in Boquete, Panama. Seems to coexist peacfully with the castle in the background :)

AnaBoz has contributed a photo to this story.

Nonstop Place

at 04:36 on January 23rd, 2008

Buenos Aires, Argentina.

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Jordan Yerman

at 06:18 on January 23rd, 2008

brizzymike's photo depicts a Hill's Hoist, which is actually an Australian invention... Thanks, Oz, for giving us that domestic breakthrough (along with the lawnmower)!

maxillicious

at 01:24 on January 24th, 2008

.... !

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buchick

at 01:36 on January 24th, 2008

This photo was taken on a beautiful tiny island north of Cebu called Malapascua where life is laid back and almost always sunny. There's definitely no electricity- driven clothesdryer here. People who lives here doesn't enjoy 24 hrs electricity but it doesn't bother them. And that (on the picture) kind of clothesline only adds charm to the place.

buchick has contributed a photo to this story.