Strange

Ont. determined to end ban on clotheslines by summer: energy minister

by slenderdog | January 25, 2008 at 04:05 am

615 views | 10 Recommendations | 2 comments

Maybe you never knew it--we didn't since we don't live in Ontario--but in some parts of Ontario, you can't hang your clothes out to dry on a clothesline!

Outdoor clotheslines are currently banned under some municipal bylaws and contracts with home builders. But Phillips said Ontario is looking at allowing clotheslines for anyone who lives in a freehold detached, semi-detached or row house...
"Most people now think that clotheslines look great. To us, they are
now (associated) with fighting global warming and saving energy. In the
1960s, those issues weren't appreciated."

Whatever about global warming and saving energy--what were these busybodies thinking? That people don't have clothes? Maybe they were uncomfortable with the idea of looking at people's underwear. Ah, how times change. Now the busybodies are not just out to save the neighborhood, they're out to save the planet.

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Rob Walker

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 04:38 on January 25th, 2008

slenderdog, I like this story. It's good stuff.

A friend was telling me that the clothesline ban was an attempt to make neighborhoods (particularly less affluent ones) look nicer. However all it did was force people who couldn't afford it to buy a washer/dryer or use a laundry service. Oh and it also added tons of pollution.

It's an idiotic law passed by SUV-driving, take your laundry to the cleaners people.

s2art

at 11:58 on January 25th, 2008

The photo I contributed is a 50 year old clothesline and an icon of australian culture, called a Hills Hoist. Australians in the southern states have ALWAYS used clotheslines in some way shape or form, it is preposterous to think of drying clothes any other way?

s2art has contributed a photo to this story.