Summer means loads of free solar energy. Even if you don’t have photovoltaic cells in your roof, you can still make good use of the sun's bounty.

If you have a tumble dryer, give it a rest during the warm months and bring the clothesline out of retirement. If you feel you can’t manage without tumble drying completely, then at least cut down on how often you do it.

A tumble dryer tops the list of energy-greedy household appliances: with average use, it adds 160kg or more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere per year, which is about 3% of your total carbon footprint.

Hanging up the washing is a mini-workout too, and clothes dried out in the fresh air and sunshine smell good.

- Olivia Rose-Innes, EnviroHealth Editor, August 2011

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