LaundryLaundry is a task that every household must deal with. Unless we look for environmentally friendly options, it will consume a great deal of energy and release harmful chemicals into the environment. Laundry Soap The choices are many. Unfortunately, most of the popular name brands are filled with ingredients that are harmful to the environment. These chemicals make their way through septic systems or sewage treatment plants and ultimately end up in our lakes and rivers. In addition to these problems often there are chemical residues left in the clothing which irritate our skin; or for some individuals cause more serious allergic reactions. Fortunately, there are increasingly more natural and environmentally friendly soaps that we can choose from. Please see www.amotherstouchdiapers.com. If you are interested in natural and homemade soaps see home made soap Washing Machines In the last ten years or so there have been significant advances in the washing machines available. The front-loading energy star units are much more efficient. They require less energy to wash a tub of clothes, they require less soap to get the clothes clean, they require much less water for the whole process and the clothes come out as clean or cleaner. In addition, the temperature of the water can be set lower and if warm water is necessary, less energy is used since less water needs to be heated. At the end of all of this the machine spins the load until it is nearly dry, requiring less drying time thus less energy. Clothes Drying Using an electric or gas clothes drier has a significant environmental impact. First of all, the energy that is used for drying is pushed outside your home with the moisture. Secondly, the clothes wear out much more quickly when they are tumbled in the drier until dry. A better environmental option is to set up a clothesline outdoors for sunny days during warmer seasons. Clothes racks are very effective for drying indoors during the rest of the year. In many of our homes the additional moisture is very welcome during the winter months. If we can implement some of these ideas we will reduce our environmental footprint while laundering our clothes.
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