As the long-awaited sunshine pulls us from our fleece cocoons and recharges our vitamin D levels, THIS SPACE is here to remind you that sunshine also offers one of the simplest, low-investment opportunities for saving electricity -- the solar clothes dryer. You might recognize this energy-efficient technology better as a clothesline.

Hanging clothes to dry used to be a commonplace event, but largely disappeared with the arrival of affordable, convenient appliances.

That convenience comes with a cost, which you can turn into a savings.
Image: Flickr/Creative Commons

Running an electric dryer costs at least 25 to 30 cents per load.

Over a year, machine drying could cost a typical family $100. At my house, with three kids still at home, we go through quite a bit of laundry, so my personal total is unfortunately much higher.

The cost comparison is based on a typical clothes dryer, which pulls about 5,000 watts of electricity per hour. When drying, the element is not on the entire time, so a good average is 3,300 watts per hour. Machines with a moisture sensor use less energy than a standard model because the dryer will turn off automatically when it senses the clothes are dry.

During these glorious days of 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daylight, blue skies, light breezes and moderate temperatures, conditions are perfect for using a clothesline.

You've got enough light to hang a load before you head out the door to catch your bus to work and plenty more light when you get home to collect your dry clothes.

Here's the bonus, you get a fresh air scent and avoid the wrinkles that form when you leave a load of clothes in the dryer too long. No ironing means even more energy savings and you'll recoup the time spent hanging the clothes instead of transferring them the few inches from the washing machine to the dryer.

It's the ONE THING you can do this week to cut your energy consumption, reduce your carbon footprint and save some money along the way.

The idea is catching on across the country.

As The New York Times noted recently, Colorado and Vermont are the latest states to pass laws preventing groups like homeowners associations from banning the use of clotheslines. Hawaii's Legislature passed a similar bill that awaits a decision from the governor and there's an effort underway in Oregon too.

So get outside, enjoy summer and reconnect with a retro approach for drying your clothes. Your planet and your bank account will thank you.