Sunday, June 7, 2009

Zero Carbon Drying

Waking up from the slumber induced by the combination of technology, opportunity and cultural expectations requires a chainsaw to cut oneself (or, I should personalize this), me, out of the thinking (really, non-thinking) box. The other day I looked at the dryer and said: "Wait!" I've been using the dryer as part of the laundry cycle at the Garden House since it began in 1972. Hanging up clothes went out of style and my mind in the 1950's. After about 60 years, the clothesline looks appropriate, not dated. I notice that the towels are not as soft even if they smell like fresh air. Will the Garden House guests care? Would they rather have the expected softness of a machine dried towel vs the quiet satisfaction knowing no carbon was released in the preparation of clean fresh-smelling linens or is this entire issue below the consciousness radar screen? To meet the challenges of this century, I imagine we may all need to fire up our indivdual chainsaw's and start cutting the boxes we've quietly built.