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In the good old days, folks used a wringer to get the majority of the water out of the clothes before hanging them on the line. Well let me tell you, even using a ringer (not a fun task), the clothes still came out dripping. Have you ever used a salad spinner? Now there is an idea. Spin the water out of the clothes, and they will dry a lot faster on the line, indoors or out. Homeless Dave gave this idea a lot of thought, and connected a bicycle to a broken washing machine (free on Craig’s List). Read his excellent DIY article at http://homelessdave.com/hdwashingman.htm.

Have $20, a 5 gallon pail, and 1.5 gallons of water? The idea for this product is not a new one. The concept was originated in the late 1800′s, but it had several drawbacks, among them weight and portability.

Our product has been designed to eliminate these drawbacks. Our washer is lightweight, not heavy. Our washer is made from durable plastics with a sturdy wooden handle. It will not rust away . . . ever. Our handles are screwed in and inter-changeable with most standard screw-in handles (brooms, mops, plungers, etc.), making it easy to dismantle and reassemble for packing or stowing. Because of these simple, yet effective improvements, you now have available to you a superior, portable washing system!

You should have the “Breathing” Mobile Washer for the following:

CAMPING/BACKPACKING: We realize that many of you bring extra clothes when you go camping; however, there inevitably are occasions or accidents that that cause you to find yourself in need of clean clothing items. “The BreatherTM” efficiently serves that need. When backpacking, you will definitely travel lighter when you bring fewer clothes.

R.V. USERS: Sometimes no matter how well you plan on being around a laundromat, you end up staying someplace scenic (and off the beaten path?). “The BreatherTM” washes efficiently with minimal amounts of water. Your clothes remain fresh and clean, and you can enjoy that special spot you found just a little longer.

SEA MARINERS: Need to freshen up on that long trip but you have a minimal amounts of fresh water? With “The BreatherTM,” clothes can be washed in as little as 1 1/2 gallons of water in a 5 gallon bucket. (Handy for freshwater mariners, too!)

MILITARY: We have sons and daughters throughout the world that often find themselves in situations where there are no laundry facilities. “The BreatherTM” can ease their load by helping them maintain clean clothes. We ship to APO addresses, too! Talk about a welcome care-package item! (Super for those serving in the missions fields as well!)

EMERGENCIES: Hurricanes, tornadoes, strong winds, snow and ice storms can all bring down power lines. What happens when your electric washing machine breaks, and it will be days before yours is fixed? Never be caught unprepared again! “The BreatherTM” is perfect for those short-term or long-term emergency cleaning needs.

And don’t forget students in dorms, apartment residents, folks in assisted living, and athletes or musicians – anyone on road trips! – http://www.breathingwasher.com/

We were looking for a clothes washing solution for when we are on the road. Laundromats are expensive, and not always available. I don’t have room or resources in the camper for even a apartment sized model, although there are some semi automatic LG units that use less than 300 watts. We ran across an familiar name, a product I had seen many years ago, and is still available, with thousands of happy customers. The Wonder Wash portable clothes washer. No electricity needed, and easy to operate. At less than $50, it’s a good value. See http://www.laundry-alternative.com/products/Wonderwash.html.

Part 3 of our non-electric laundry series.

A friend of ours has one of these Clothes Drying Racks, and swears by it. I believe it’s a good addition to our non electric laundry series. Check it out and tell us what you think:

We have been washing our clothes with our bucket washer. 5 minutes per wash cycle, and 5 minutes per rinse, with less than 2 gallons per cycle. Reuse the rinse cycle water for the next wash cycle. When we can get a decent internet connection, we will upload the video. We are also working on a bucket clothes press to remove the majority of the water (no ringer for us) before line drying. The preliminary design consists of a lidded bucket, inserted into a second bucket (with the clothes in it) that has many small holes drilled in the bottom, which is inserted into a third bucket with a drain hole in the lower side. Snap the lid on the first bucket and sit on it. The first bucket presses on the clothes in the second squeezing the water through the small holes into the third bucket, draining out the drain hole. Save the water for another wash run.

Touro University Worldwide Takes a Look at How Living Greener Can Save Money and the Planet

Touro University Worldwide (TUW) recently announced the establishment of its newest program, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Management (BSBA). In honor of this announcement and with International Earth Day coming in April, we thought it was only fitting to discuss a topic that’s on everyone’s mind: how “living green” can impact your finances. Below are some suggestions that we put together on how you can reduce your carbon footprint and credit card bills.

· Turning down the Amount on Your Electricity Bills: With tuition fees and household bills, most online students are looking to save money any way they can. Something as simple as unplugging your appliances when you leave your residence can save cash. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average U.S. household spends about $1,900 a year on energy costs and 5% to 10% of this residential electricity comes from devices that are plugged in 24 hours a day.

· Recycling to Start Your Cash Flow Cycle: Recycling can be tough. We’ve all been tempted to throw our glass bottle in the trash bag when the blue recycle bin is only ten steps further. But trust us; the ten extra steps are worth it. There are many places where you can participate in “pay-as-you-throw” programs which will give you money back for each bottle. Some charities also accept bottles as donations which is a great way to give back to your community. If that isn’t motivation enough, recycling also has a huge impact on our economy. According to Recycling Revolution, “recycling creates 1.1 million U.S. jobs, $236 billion in gross annual sales and $37 billion in annual payrolls.”

· Washing Away Your Laundry Bills: Laundry can be expensive, especially if you live in a an apartment where you are paying for each individual wash and dry. By washing your clothes with cold water, you are saving money and the earth. According to World Watch Institute, “as much as 85 percent of the energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water.” Hanging your clothes to dry will also save money and energy.

· Burning Away Calories and Car Bills: One of the great advantages of an online university is that you are saving money on travel cost, which in turn reduces carbon monoxide emissions. World Watch Institute recommends that you bike or walk to a place of study or work whenever possible. This is a great way to get your exercise, reduce car-costs even more, and save the planet. Several studies have shown that exercise also improves your ability to study and retain information, which is important for your college career.

The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration & Management degree provides students an opportunity to complete an undergraduate degree while advancing their career in the most efficient way. So this month, take the initiative to kick start your education and live greener!

Interested students should visit http://www.tuw.edu/ or call 888-586-5193 to learn how they can apply today.

UPS arrived today with two packages (an ordeal in itself as our “address” doesn’t appear on their records). One is a new hand cranked grain mill from Lehman’s, the other two new drying racks from Best Drying Rack. I will be doing a video on both this weekend. A new podcast will be posted as well.

Recently we blogged at http://www.green-trust.org/wordpress/2010/01/08/portable-off-grid-washer/ about the “Breathing” Mobile Washer. Ours arrived today, and I can’t wait to try it. With a 5 gallon pail (with lid, just make a hole for the handle), Vermont Soap Liquid Sunshine, and 1.5 gallons of rain water, my socks and unmentionables will be clean and fresh. This is much superior to a toilet plunger.

Harvesting rainwater is a time honored tradition. Millions of people all over the world throughout the ages used rain barrels and cisterns to collect roof runoff to water their gardens, and wash their bodies and clothes. What some have re-realized in modern times is that rain gutters connected to a cistern not only gives wonderful showers and clothes washing, but with proper purification, can be used for drinking and cooking. We use a Berkey Water Purifier for drinking and cooking water purification. A Nature’s head composting toilet, along with a front loader washer, reduces our water consumption by 60% or more. We have a rain water harvesting discussion group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rainwater/.

For more info on rain water harvesting, please review the following links:

http://rainwaterharvesting.tamu.edu/

http://www.harvesth2o.com/
http://www.rain-barrel.net/
http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/iwt/Rainwater.asp

It’s website hosting renewal time. Please drop a donation at http://www.green-trust.org/wordpress/why-donate-to-green-trust/, to help us continue to bring you valuable renewable and self sufficiency information, and we will send you a free ebook.

We have a Sears Front Loader Clothes Washer (stacked with a Sears Propane Dryer). A bit more expensive than the standard top loader, the electric and water savings soon paid for it. We went with a Sears unit because it was less expensive than the typical off-grid Staber unit, and we had a local dealer and local service. EarthEasy explains the advantages of this type of washer:

• Larger capacity because of no bulky agitator. The average load increase is 30%. The extra space improves washing of bulky items like sleeping bags, bedspreads and throw rugs.
• High-speed extraction. Front-load washers spin at over 1000 rpm in American-made machines, and higher on European models. This is considerably faster than the 600-700 rpm spin cycle on top-load washers. Clothes come out drier and thereby reduce drying time. This saves energy, and helps the dryer keep pace with the washer during multiple-load washing.
• Gentler on laundry items. Gentler wash action, with no agitator.
• Quieter. No clunky sounds, just the whir of the spin cycle.
• Cleans better. Front-load washers clean many stains bettter than conventional top-load washers.
• Stackable. The dryer can be stacked on top of the washer for space savings. ( Not all models have this feature.) Models with controls mounted on the front can also be installed under counters.
• Energy conservation. Front-load washers can easily save over $100 per year in energy costs, and they use 1/2 as much water. Because they use less water, they also require up to 68% less electricity to heat the water, resulting in more energy savings.