A Challenge for YOU!

I'm not sure how many readers are aware, but I have been a 'clothes line gal' for a while, was raised with one as a matter of fact, BUT. (confession time) .I've not use it to it's fullest extent. I know, bad girl, but with this years mantra and a great desire to reduce a few things, (namely my 'carbon footprint', and my electric bill), I have taken a vow of....uhmm what shall I call this..a vow of...poverty? no, chastity? oh heavens no, dependence?...well, I can't use that cuz I'm still dependent on electric for 'other' things.
Let's just say it's a vow to reduce! Yeah, that's the ticket.
I have vowed to not use my dishwasher or my dryer as long as possible.
I've been at this since Oct/Nov of last year and in that time, I can say I've used my dryer twice, for 20 minutes each time when it started raining and I had to grab my not quite dry clothes off the line. I now have an inside drying rack so hopefully that will not happen again.
Now, the dishwasher. Hmm how to explain this one? I use it everyday. Not electrically though. Instead of removing the electric vampire demon, I use it as my 'drainboard'. I wash dishes by-hand in the sink and use the dishwasher to drain them in. Now, because I do this it means that once every month and a 1/2 or so I do have to run it at least on hot a rinse cycle. If I don't what I get is, standing water in the bottom. Since we have well water with lots of natural minerals, leaving well water to 'sit' is not a good idea!

So since Jan 1 of this year, I have used neither the dishwasher or the dryer. Since I will have to run the dishwasher once every 6-8 weeks or so I'll make sure it's FULL of stuff of course but if I can stretch it to once every 2 months, that means only 6x's in a year. That's a good thing since reduction is the goal and last year, prior to Oct/Nov I ran it at least every other day. (sometimes more depending)

So the challenge is out there for all you Hedgewives. This year, for the year 2011, take a vow to not use your dryer or dishwasher. At least reduce the use of each as much as possible. Want to join the vow?