Little known fact: in some U.S. and Canadian cities, homeowners may think they're doing the green thing by hanging their laundry to dry instead of tossing it into an energy-sucking dryer, but they're actually committing a crime.

Called "ugly, low-class and unsuitable for public display," some homeowner's associations have limited clotheslines to the backyard or banned them altogether. There are actually some who claim the mere sight of drying clothes could drive down property values. In case they hadn't noticed, that might actually be due to the economic downturn, not poor laundry habits, but nice try.

If you currently live in one of the following areas, contact you local government to find out where you can direct letters or petitions protesting your right to choose how you dry your clothes: Bend, Oregon; Daytona Beach, Florida; Peoria, Arizona; Tucson; Worcester, Massachusetts; Waterloo, Iowa and many areas in California.

If you don't think it will make a difference, consider that the entire province of Ontario in Canada, as well as Southampton, New York recently lifted bans and gave homeowners the right to line-dry once again.

» Minneapolis Star Tribune