No Ironing Could be a Green Bonus

[swirt]

I know I've mentioned before that we don't iron our sheets or pillowcases (and this is by no means a slight against anyone who does). However this is a slant that might make you feel better about not ironing them. Not ironing can be as much of a "green" approach as not changing towels every day (unless requested).
Here's a quick sketch of the numbers (your numbers may vary) Roughly speaking an average steam iron (1500Watts) runs at about 1000 watts once up to temp. If you iron for an hour a day on average (some days more some days less) that translates to 1 KWHr per day or up to 365KWHr for the year. In NY we run about 15 cents per KWHr (NY is more costly than many states) so ironing the sheets costs around $55 per year. The cost isn't "green" though so you have to look at it in terms of green or anti-green things.
365 KWHrs of electricity is equivalent to any one of the following:

• 15 gal of crude oil (adjusted for efficiency of converting this to electricty)
• 188 pounds of coal (adjusted for efficiency of converting this to electricty)
• 16 gal of gasoline (adjusted for efficiency of converting this to electricty)

So if you want to say that you practice green innkeeping by not using 188 lbs of coal to make flat sheets flatter, then go right ahead.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Talk about a stretch! ha ha
How about not vacuuming as well and no mowing the lawns. LOL

 

[swirt]

Talk about a stretch! ha ha
How about not vacuuming as well and no mowing the lawns. LOL.

Well now that would be silly

Things need to be vacuumed and lawns need to be mowed for health and safety and comfort reasons. Is there any evidence to suggest that ironed sheets are more comfortable or more healthy?

 

[Willowpondgj]

Talk about a stretch! ha ha
How about not vacuuming as well and no mowing the lawns. LOL.

Well now that would be silly

Things need to be vacuumed and lawns need to be mowed for health and safety and comfort reasons. Is there any evidence to suggest that ironed sheets are more comfortable or more healthy?
.

Xeroscaping instead of lawns, do the math on how much gas is used to mow your 1+ acre every year, yes there are environmental benefits to not lawn mowing, and health benefits, not breathing the exhaust and hearing damage for example, now if I could just convince my dh of this!

 

[YellowSocks]

Talk about a stretch! ha ha
How about not vacuuming as well and no mowing the lawns. LOL.

Well now that would be silly

Things need to be vacuumed and lawns need to be mowed for health and safety and comfort reasons. Is there any evidence to suggest that ironed sheets are more comfortable or more healthy?
.

Xeroscaping instead of lawns, do the math on how much gas is used to mow your 1+ acre every year, yes there are environmental benefits to not lawn mowing, and health benefits, not breathing the exhaust and hearing damage for example, now if I could just convince my dh of this!

.

there are environmental benefits to not lawn mowing, and health benefits, not breathing the exhaust and hearing damage for example, now if I could just convince my dh of this!

We followed Swirt's example and got a rotary mower... quiet, no gas, great exercise. Dh likes it a lot better now that he has figured out how to adjust the height. (After I resorted to being stereotypical and asked him if he'd checked the manual...)
=)
Kk.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Talk about a stretch! ha ha
How about not vacuuming as well and no mowing the lawns. LOL.

Well now that would be silly

Things need to be vacuumed and lawns need to be mowed for health and safety and comfort reasons. Is there any evidence to suggest that ironed sheets are more comfortable or more healthy?
.

Well now that would be silly

Things need to be vacuumed and lawns need to be mowed for health and safety and comfort reasons. Is there any evidence to suggest that ironed sheets are more comfortable or more healthy?

Have you ever looked at hotel pillowcases? They look like someone crumpled them up and did a dance on them.
I will make a bold statement then expect the arrows shot my way. I bet MAJORITY of guests do not notice if they are ironed or not. Sure there might be one. But given how cognisant people are of their surroundings, I would doubt it.

 

[Willowpondgj]

Talk about a stretch! ha ha
How about not vacuuming as well and no mowing the lawns. LOL.

Well now that would be silly

Things need to be vacuumed and lawns need to be mowed for health and safety and comfort reasons. Is there any evidence to suggest that ironed sheets are more comfortable or more healthy?
.

Xeroscaping instead of lawns, do the math on how much gas is used to mow your 1+ acre every year, yes there are environmental benefits to not lawn mowing, and health benefits, not breathing the exhaust and hearing damage for example, now if I could just convince my dh of this!

.

there are environmental benefits to not lawn mowing, and health benefits, not breathing the exhaust and hearing damage for example, now if I could just convince my dh of this!

We followed Swirt's example and got a rotary mower... quiet, no gas, great exercise. Dh likes it a lot better now that he has figured out how to adjust the height. (After I resorted to being stereotypical and asked him if he'd checked the manual...)
=)
Kk.
.

if we used a rotary mower, we would have to mow every single day of the growing season to keep up with the grass, that ain't hapnin' !
We don't iron and I'm happy to add the stats to our green info! Woo-hoo! Thanks Swirt!

 

[swirt]

Talk about a stretch! ha ha
How about not vacuuming as well and no mowing the lawns. LOL.

Well now that would be silly

Things need to be vacuumed and lawns need to be mowed for health and safety and comfort reasons. Is there any evidence to suggest that ironed sheets are more comfortable or more healthy?
.

Well now that would be silly

Things need to be vacuumed and lawns need to be mowed for health and safety and comfort reasons. Is there any evidence to suggest that ironed sheets are more comfortable or more healthy?

Have you ever looked at hotel pillowcases? They look like someone crumpled them up and did a dance on them.
I will make a bold statement then expect the arrows shot my way. I bet MAJORITY of guests do not notice if they are ironed or not. Sure there might be one. But given how cognisant people are of their surroundings, I would doubt it.
.

I never notice, and I have to say that wrinkled in my mind is associated more with comfort than ironed....If I peer into my closet looking for a comfy shirt it is definitely going to be the wrinkled ones (but that may be more due to their age and being broken in than the actual state of being ironed or not - freely pointing out the holes in my logic). Clean I notice..ironed I never notice when it comes to beds (sure I might notice wrinkled clothing).

 

[swirt]

Talk about a stretch! ha ha
How about not vacuuming as well and no mowing the lawns. LOL.

Well now that would be silly

Things need to be vacuumed and lawns need to be mowed for health and safety and comfort reasons. Is there any evidence to suggest that ironed sheets are more comfortable or more healthy?
.

Xeroscaping instead of lawns, do the math on how much gas is used to mow your 1+ acre every year, yes there are environmental benefits to not lawn mowing, and health benefits, not breathing the exhaust and hearing damage for example, now if I could just convince my dh of this!

.

You are absolutely right....if it didn't look completely out of place in NY I would rip up all my grass and replace it with crushed shell and rocks like they do in Florida. The amount of energy and water and waste that goes into a grass lawn is astounding when you start looking at the numbers. Hard to believe the lawn craze has only been around for 60 years.

 

[Samster]

Haha! As much as I might want justification for having the sheets look awful, this is not the way. The linens usually get mentioned in our room books and have also been mentioned in our reviews. Just like I am not going to dispensers in the baths.....
Each to their own!

 

[swirt]

Haha! As much as I might want justification for having the sheets look awful, this is not the way. The linens usually get mentioned in our room books and have also been mentioned in our reviews. Just like I am not going to dispensers in the baths.....
Each to their own!.

I wasn't suggesting anyone change their ways and what works for them...just pointing out a way to make it sound good for those who don't do it (or are looking for a reason to stop). Similar to putting the cards in the bathrooms saying if you want to help us conserve water, hang up your towels ...

 

[Samster]

Haha! As much as I might want justification for having the sheets look awful, this is not the way. The linens usually get mentioned in our room books and have also been mentioned in our reviews. Just like I am not going to dispensers in the baths.....
Each to their own!.

I wasn't suggesting anyone change their ways and what works for them...just pointing out a way to make it sound good for those who don't do it (or are looking for a reason to stop). Similar to putting the cards in the bathrooms saying if you want to help us conserve water, hang up your towels ...
.

I know you weren't. But it's the same reason I haven't put the green cards out. It's a little contradictory to have giant tubs and then ask people to re-use their towels, which never dry out here btw.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Here it gets mowed no matter what it is, SNAKES! You have never seen such mowed countryside in your life as around here. One house with 500 acres of lawn. Not not fields, lawn.

 

[egoodell]

Haha! As much as I might want justification for having the sheets look awful, this is not the way. The linens usually get mentioned in our room books and have also been mentioned in our reviews. Just like I am not going to dispensers in the baths.....
Each to their own!.

I wasn't suggesting anyone change their ways and what works for them...just pointing out a way to make it sound good for those who don't do it (or are looking for a reason to stop). Similar to putting the cards in the bathrooms saying if you want to help us conserve water, hang up your towels ...
.

I know you weren't. But it's the same reason I haven't put the green cards out. It's a little contradictory to have giant tubs and then ask people to re-use their towels, which never dry out here btw.
.

Not if you use the "gray water" to water the gardens around the house. We do that with shower water since the drought we had. Appears the soapy water protects the flowers from insects. They love it.
We don't reuse the tub water since the whirlpool self cleaner uses bleach.
I think that's a fair swap water conservation-wise
We also put the tube for the condensation water from the air conditioner into a barrel in the basement. Gives us lots of water for the garden out back
Riki

 

[Samster]

Haha! As much as I might want justification for having the sheets look awful, this is not the way. The linens usually get mentioned in our room books and have also been mentioned in our reviews. Just like I am not going to dispensers in the baths.....
Each to their own!.

I wasn't suggesting anyone change their ways and what works for them...just pointing out a way to make it sound good for those who don't do it (or are looking for a reason to stop). Similar to putting the cards in the bathrooms saying if you want to help us conserve water, hang up your towels ...
.

I know you weren't. But it's the same reason I haven't put the green cards out. It's a little contradictory to have giant tubs and then ask people to re-use their towels, which never dry out here btw.
.

Not if you use the "gray water" to water the gardens around the house. We do that with shower water since the drought we had. Appears the soapy water protects the flowers from insects. They love it.
We don't reuse the tub water since the whirlpool self cleaner uses bleach.
I think that's a fair swap water conservation-wise
We also put the tube for the condensation water from the air conditioner into a barrel in the basement. Gives us lots of water for the garden out back
Riki
.

We're backwards here - health department regulations prohibit the re-use of gray water from guest areas. (I asked) We're in an urban location too. I was capturing our personal shower water to water some shrubs and stuff when we were on severe watering restrictions here.
We moved here from one of the most progressive and eco-friendly areas in the country - it's a time warp here.

 

[Willowpondgj]

Here it gets mowed no matter what it is, SNAKES! You have never seen such mowed countryside in your life as around here. One house with 500 acres of lawn. Not not fields, lawn..

We have to do snake patrol when dh mows, we had a few massacres the other week, it was awful! 3 in one day! Yesterday it was a face off with the Praying Mantids, of all things, I think they thought the mower was a giant bug, they were in attack mode when he went near them!

 

[Morticia]

Talk about a stretch! ha ha
How about not vacuuming as well and no mowing the lawns. LOL.

Well now that would be silly

Things need to be vacuumed and lawns need to be mowed for health and safety and comfort reasons. Is there any evidence to suggest that ironed sheets are more comfortable or more healthy?
.

Well now that would be silly

Things need to be vacuumed and lawns need to be mowed for health and safety and comfort reasons. Is there any evidence to suggest that ironed sheets are more comfortable or more healthy?

Have you ever looked at hotel pillowcases? They look like someone crumpled them up and did a dance on them.
I will make a bold statement then expect the arrows shot my way. I bet MAJORITY of guests do not notice if they are ironed or not. Sure there might be one. But given how cognisant people are of their surroundings, I would doubt it.
.

Well now that would be silly

Things need to be vacuumed and lawns need to be mowed for health and safety and comfort reasons. Is there any evidence to suggest that ironed sheets are more comfortable or more healthy?

Have you ever looked at hotel pillowcases? They look like someone crumpled them up and did a dance on them.
I will make a bold statement then expect the arrows shot my way. I bet MAJORITY of guests do not notice if they are ironed or not. Sure there might be one. But given how cognisant people are of their surroundings, I would doubt it.

No arrows, but I DO notice pillowcases. Especially if they are wrinkled. I also notice sheets because I am looking to see what other places use. And I'm sorta miffed when a B&B uses cheap hotel sheets. Mostly because I feel like, once again, I'm doing waaaaaay more work than they do at the places I stay. (Ok, so of course we know I don't mean the people here whose places I've stayed at!)
As for the guests...yes, they are surprised when I mention ironing sheets. (This always comes up when they ask what is the one thing that surprised us about owning a B&B. I always answer, 'The laundry.' Then the ironing comes up.)

 

[YellowSocks]

Talk about a stretch! ha ha
How about not vacuuming as well and no mowing the lawns. LOL.

Well now that would be silly

Things need to be vacuumed and lawns need to be mowed for health and safety and comfort reasons. Is there any evidence to suggest that ironed sheets are more comfortable or more healthy?
.

Xeroscaping instead of lawns, do the math on how much gas is used to mow your 1+ acre every year, yes there are environmental benefits to not lawn mowing, and health benefits, not breathing the exhaust and hearing damage for example, now if I could just convince my dh of this!

.

You are absolutely right....if it didn't look completely out of place in NY I would rip up all my grass and replace it with crushed shell and rocks like they do in Florida. The amount of energy and water and waste that goes into a grass lawn is astounding when you start looking at the numbers. Hard to believe the lawn craze has only been around for 60 years.
.

You are absolutely right....if it didn't look completely out of place in NY I would rip up all my grass and replace it with crushed shell and rocks like they do in Florida. The amount of energy and water and waste that goes into a grass lawn is astounding when you start looking at the numbers. Hard to believe the lawn craze has only been around for 60 years.

Yes, dh has a book out from the library on that right now. He was telling me about lawn seed mixtures from the past... includes white clover and a bunch of other stuff we now think of as weeds. As a farm girl, I think if it's green it's good enough, and if it's August then so what if it's brown? The reality is we have to keep it nice (like everyone else here does). Happily we are not surrounded by immaculate lawns. Nice ones, but not ridiculously so...
As far as ironing... I've been avoiding sheets and tablecloths, trying to fold them immediately, or even while still damp, but there's no getting away from pillow cases and napkins. As far as noticing, I think it can be one of those details that you don't notice per se, rather just the overall effect. As I've quoted before (sorry, don't know the source), the difference between really good and truly great lies in the teeny details. And an untrained eye may not be able to put their finger on what the difference is, but they'll know it's different. Bree's perusal of sheets is obviously that of a trained eye...
=)
Kk.

 

[Willowpondgj]

Here it gets mowed no matter what it is, SNAKES! You have never seen such mowed countryside in your life as around here. One house with 500 acres of lawn. Not not fields, lawn..

You don't need a lawnmower, you need cows!

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Talk about a stretch! ha ha
How about not vacuuming as well and no mowing the lawns. LOL.

Well now that would be silly

Things need to be vacuumed and lawns need to be mowed for health and safety and comfort reasons. Is there any evidence to suggest that ironed sheets are more comfortable or more healthy?
.

Xeroscaping instead of lawns, do the math on how much gas is used to mow your 1+ acre every year, yes there are environmental benefits to not lawn mowing, and health benefits, not breathing the exhaust and hearing damage for example, now if I could just convince my dh of this!

.

You are absolutely right....if it didn't look completely out of place in NY I would rip up all my grass and replace it with crushed shell and rocks like they do in Florida. The amount of energy and water and waste that goes into a grass lawn is astounding when you start looking at the numbers. Hard to believe the lawn craze has only been around for 60 years.
.

You are absolutely right....if it didn't look completely out of place in NY I would rip up all my grass and replace it with crushed shell and rocks like they do in Florida. The amount of energy and water and waste that goes into a grass lawn is astounding when you start looking at the numbers. Hard to believe the lawn craze has only been around for 60 years.

Yes, dh has a book out from the library on that right now. He was telling me about lawn seed mixtures from the past... includes white clover and a bunch of other stuff we now think of as weeds. As a farm girl, I think if it's green it's good enough, and if it's August then so what if it's brown? The reality is we have to keep it nice (like everyone else here does). Happily we are not surrounded by immaculate lawns. Nice ones, but not ridiculously so...
As far as ironing... I've been avoiding sheets and tablecloths, trying to fold them immediately, or even while still damp, but there's no getting away from pillow cases and napkins. As far as noticing, I think it can be one of those details that you don't notice per se, rather just the overall effect. As I've quoted before (sorry, don't know the source), the difference between really good and truly great lies in the teeny details. And an untrained eye may not be able to put their finger on what the difference is, but they'll know it's different. Bree's perusal of sheets is obviously that of a trained eye...
=)
Kk.
.

You are absolutely right....if it didn't look completely out of place in NY I would rip up all my grass and replace it with crushed shell and rocks like they do in Florida. The amount of energy and water and waste that goes into a grass lawn is astounding when you start looking at the numbers. Hard to believe the lawn craze has only been around for 60 years.

Yes, dh has a book out from the library on that right now. He was telling me about lawn seed mixtures from the past... includes white clover and a bunch of other stuff we now think of as weeds. As a farm girl, I think if it's green it's good enough, and if it's August then so what if it's brown? The reality is we have to keep it nice (like everyone else here does). Happily we are not surrounded by immaculate lawns. Nice ones, but not ridiculously so...
As far as ironing... I've been avoiding sheets and tablecloths, trying to fold them immediately, or even while still damp, but there's no getting away from pillow cases and napkins. As far as noticing, I think it can be one of those details that you don't notice per se, rather just the overall effect. As I've quoted before (sorry, don't know the source), the difference between really good and truly great lies in the teeny details. And an untrained eye may not be able to put their finger on what the difference is, but they'll know it's different. Bree's perusal of sheets is obviously that of a trained eye...
=)
Kk.

I will counter that quote. "Truly great" and then you check in and get some innkeeper latching on to you and the details are blurred and make no diff from that point on.