As my friend Brigit Strawbridge says, "It's not easy being Green."
But then it is important, isn't it? When you see your culture going the wrong way, like lemmings over a cliff, isn't it important to say... "Hey, hold on, I think there may be a better way." I took that decision a long time ago and when I recently took a carbon footprint test (I recommend George Marshall's excellent book Carbon Detox, which has a good test in it) I found that my footprint is only half a ton over the 2050 target. That is less than half the present average figure. I was amazed, but it just means the rest of you must be consuming LOADS!
Anyway, about 3 years ago two friends and I invented a cover for a washing line; one that would fit a rotary line, drier, airer, whirligig, call it what you want so that you could dry clothes at any time rather than just when it is sunny. Since then I have done most of the work, and at last I have a product ready for sale, patented, trade marked and all. People who have tried it like it and it will typically save up to 1000KW a year as against a tumble drier. That would mean 4 tonnes of CO2! Nearly a third of your annual average. Even modest use is a waste that is avoidable, and the Dryline will pay for itself in about 6 months. It even speeds up the process when it is sunny, which I still find surprising.
So now I spend most of my time out selling the product and trying to find those ethical consumers who want to do the right thing, or the busy mums who need to put the washing out before going to work and hate coming home to find it wet. Perhaps the older ladies who like to dry outside but have to watch the clouds and dash outside whenever a spot of rain falls... And now I have started a blog to record my progress or lack of it. I have no idea who might read this but I hope you enjoy it, dear reader.
But then it is important, isn't it? When you see your culture going the wrong way, like lemmings over a cliff, isn't it important to say... "Hey, hold on, I think there may be a better way." I took that decision a long time ago and when I recently took a carbon footprint test (I recommend George Marshall's excellent book Carbon Detox, which has a good test in it) I found that my footprint is only half a ton over the 2050 target. That is less than half the present average figure. I was amazed, but it just means the rest of you must be consuming LOADS!
Anyway, about 3 years ago two friends and I invented a cover for a washing line; one that would fit a rotary line, drier, airer, whirligig, call it what you want so that you could dry clothes at any time rather than just when it is sunny. Since then I have done most of the work, and at last I have a product ready for sale, patented, trade marked and all. People who have tried it like it and it will typically save up to 1000KW a year as against a tumble drier. That would mean 4 tonnes of CO2! Nearly a third of your annual average. Even modest use is a waste that is avoidable, and the Dryline will pay for itself in about 6 months. It even speeds up the process when it is sunny, which I still find surprising.
So now I spend most of my time out selling the product and trying to find those ethical consumers who want to do the right thing, or the busy mums who need to put the washing out before going to work and hate coming home to find it wet. Perhaps the older ladies who like to dry outside but have to watch the clouds and dash outside whenever a spot of rain falls... And now I have started a blog to record my progress or lack of it. I have no idea who might read this but I hope you enjoy it, dear reader.
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