Clotheslines Across America Tour
(July 5 to October 4, 2011)
Project Laundry List Founder and Executive Director Alexander Lee will do a cross-country bike tour focused on getting people to hang out their clothes and wash with cold water. Modeled on what would happen if Steven Colbert set out to mimic Gandhi's March to the Sea, the tour will use "leadership by spectacle" to motivate households to reach a 20% carbon reduction in twenty days. "Clotheslines are a gateway activity to happier, more sustainable living," says Lee.
In addition to line drying and washing water temperature, the tour will highlight other low cost, carbon-reducing, energy saving behaviors that regular Americans can adopt without waiting for their government to act.
In particular, Project Laundry List will focus on resetting temperatures on water heaters, eliminating standby electricity (aka "phantom loads" or "vampire power"), thermostat adjustments, more efficient driving, carpooling, water conservation, eating more vegetarian meals, and trip chaining. To learn more about why we are focusing on these things, see Household actions can provide a behavioral wedge to rapidly reduce U.S. carbon emission and The American Carbon Foodprint.
Clotheslines Across America Map
See the Clotheslines Across America Map.
Add your own photograph to the map.
Purpose of Tour
Taking a page from the late Project Laundry List Advisory Board member, Granny D, Lee will put his own spin (pun intended) on his pilgrimage, biking until given shelter and fasting until given vegetarian food. Doris "Granny D" Haddock crossed the country by foot at age 89 and 90, staying with supporters of her cause.
The tour will raise attention about rebound effect and the importance of behavior change in combating global weirding. Imagine the world with billions more dryers and large appliances?
The tour will strive to be as low impact as possible and fight consumerism.
The tour will seek to reform the fourth layer of government-community associations-so that they function as truly democratic organizations, which do not stand in the way of green lifestyle practices, thus fostering greater community and greener communities.
The tour will target unemployed Americans to shift the economy towards a reduced work week so that people have more time to hang and attend to the things that matter, like hanging out your clothes and getting acquainted with neighbors.
The tour will seek to lift depression by encouraging people to use their hands at the clothesline and by preparing more meals at home.
Other aspects of the clothing care cycle and the work of the New Again Coalition will be highlighted.
As the tour makes its way from hamlet to megalopolis, tour participants will be asked to adhere to a primarily vegetarian diet since eating meat is a major source of greenhouse gas.
Leadership by Spectacle
Mr. Lee will walk and bicycle with famous Americans who share the message of this tour, creating spectacle to garner attention for the ways in which households can move this country on toward a path of sustainability.
The emphasis will be on having fun and demonstrating that we can "Live Better Un-electrically."
The public will be able to track the tour at http://www.clotheslinesacrossamerica.org and on Project Laundry List's blog.
About the Route
The tour will begin on July 4th, 2011, and will last for just over three months. The Clotheslines Across America Tour will cycle through some of the most beautiful and scenic areas of America averaging 75+ miles per travel day and cycle through numerous US states. We'll depart San Francisco, California, for an exciting ride north to Seattle and then east to Lubec, Maine, in 90 days and over 5,000 miles.
See the developing itinerary and route plan.
About Alex's Bicycle
If you think you can't commute by bike, Trek Ride+ electric assist changes the game. Suddenly pulling a trailer or carrying heavier loads becomes doable. A sweat-free commute becomes a reality. And going up hills is as fun as going down. Ride+. It's your power, plus.
Alexander has been using the bicycle during his months of preparation and says that he wants to show America that "any lazy slob can get around on a cheater bike like this." It is time!
Do you want to participate?
The Clotheslines Across America Tour is an event for laundry activists who want to see the Land of the Free.
Additional participants are responsible for their own food and lodging. Project Laundry List will not be making these arrangements, but may work with a partner organization to offer a fully-supported tour experience.
Participants will see the country in just over three months, but may join us for a shorter period of time.
Sponsors
In Memory of Granny D
Doris "Granny D" Haddock (January 24, 1910 – March 9, 2010) was an American politician and political activist from New Hampshire. Haddock achieved national fame when, between the ages of 88 and 90, starting on January 1, 1999 and culminating on February 29, 2000, she walked over 3,200 miles across the continental United States to advocate for campaign finance reform.
Haddock's walk across the country followed a southern route and took more than a year to complete, starting on January 1, 1999, in southern California and ending in Washington D.C. on February 29, 2000. She was an ardent conservationist, former member of Project Laundry List's Board of Advisers, and an occasional Scrabble partner of our Founder and Executive Director.
