HAPPY Summertime! Vermont’s so called Right to Dry law is now a year old. Vermont’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Act means that associations, ordinances and landlords cannot prohibit a Vermont resident from hanging laundry outside to air dry.

Lyman Orton, proprietor of the Vermont Country Store, was one who pushed for the freedom. Mr. Orton testified to the legislature two key reasons why drying laundry the natural way is important to Vermont.

Mr. Orton stated, “There is nothing more consistent with (a Vermonter’s) heritage of practicality, frugality, and common sense than hanging laundry on a clothesline and allowing nature to dry it with zero use of energy.” He added, “It’s about our heritage, our culture, and our social interaction. It’s about inclusiveness as opposed to exclusiveness.”

Proponents of the nation-wide Right to Dry effort say that energy consumption of a domestic dryer amounts to more than 15 percent of a household energy bill.

In Mr. Orton’s store catalog he wrote, “Do my ‘tighty whities’ hanging on the line really shock and embarrass anyone? Well, certainly not in Vermont!”

In a recent poll of Northfielders, not one found it socially acceptable to hang tighty whities on the line. One declared she certainly could not hang them on the front porch, where her clothesline is located because, “No one wants to see that.” Another said, “Mother tucked them inside the pillowcases.” “Father never let Mother hang laundry on Sunday.”

Sing this original jingle to the tune of the Star Spangled Banner:

Oh Vermonters did say--what can we all do

To save on the gas, e-lect-ricity too.

We can hang our clothes high in the yard so to dry

sling towels all around and the shirts collar down

undies loose, undies free--who cares don’t ask me

fling them up toss them down, save money, dry it free.

Oh say can you hang by the dawn’s early light

Or do it at night when the moon’s in the sky

It’s a clothes free for all, hang ‘em high, let ‘em fall

To be outside all day or till dawn breaks on high

Oh say what’s your method, your rules and your plan

Grannie’s shawl, the kid’s socks, put it all on the line.

Oh say can you see all the duds on the line

What so we proudly we hang with our clothespins wooden

The shirts flying up high and the pants hanging down

Drawers on the end so no one can see.

O say does that laundry, socks, bras, colored Tees

Dry o’er the yard and the porch of the proud.