Happy National Hanging Out Day

So what are you doing today?  Just hanging out?  That's perfect because today happens to be National Hanging Out Day. On closer inspection though, I found out that there's a little more work involved.

The day is the brainchild of New Hampshire-based Project Laundry List and other organizations who, since 1995, have set aside the day to encourage hanging out laundry, outside, on an actual clothesline. It makes sense coming just ahead of Earth Day since, according to their website, the use of clothes dryers accounts for between 6 and 10 percent of residential energy consumption. So by hanging your clothes on a line instead you're saving energy and money, not to mention gaining the health advantages of doing a little work outside in the fresh air and sunshine.

That's where our celebration hits a bit of a snag, because this April 19 is not a great day to be hanging wash outside in the Berkshires. So if you promise to make the next nice weather laundry day your personal "National Hanging Out Day", you can go ahead and just "hang out" today.