The Senior Scene

By Cyndi Bray

Cutting energy waste in the home is not only good for the environment, it can also save money. Most people wouldn’t expect it, but washing machines and dryers are some of the biggest energy wasters in homes. One study estimated the nation’s residential laundry carbon dioxide emissions at 179 million metric tons per year. That’s equal to the total annual energy use of more than 21 million homes. 

While high-efficiency machines use less water and electricity than other models, more can be done to reduce the environmental impact of doing laundry, especially when it comes to cumbersome items like bed sheets.

The first step is to know your machines. Most people never take the time to read the owner’s manual for their washer and dryer, which could lead to missed maintenance and not fully understanding what the various cycles and settings mean.

It’s also important to check the care labels on garments, towels, and sheets. The fabric care instructions sewn into the items list the harshest conditions they can tolerate. Many people will be surprised to learn that laundry advice passed down from parents and grandparents may conflict with manufacturer recommendations.

These tips can also help save time, energy, water, and even money when doing laundry:

• Give your dryer a clean slate. Check and empty the lint trap before each load. A full lint trap reduces efficiency and becomes a fire hazard. A clogged lint trap prevents the dryer from being able to exhaust hot air, causing it to overheat.
• Washing in cold water eliminates the need to use energy to heat the water, and it is also gentler on fabrics so they will last longer. Heating water uses the most energy where the washer is concerned. These days, most laundry detergents clean well in cold water, and there are also options specific for washing on cold.
• Combine loads. When you wash everything in cold water, you could eliminate the need for separate loads, so you may be able to wash fewer loads. Don’t be afraid to mix your clothes in with your sheets. (If you’re washing a new colorful item, be sure to keep it away from whites and light colors.)
• When washing and drying sheets, use Wad-Free for Bed Sheets, which prevents them from tangling, twisting, and balling-up in the washing machine and the dryer, so they come out cleaner and dry up to 75 percent faster. The savings are significant. 
• Keep dryers on low. Even though it will take longer for items to dry using a low heat setting, you will still use less energy than a medium or high setting, and again all your items will last longer without exposure to heat. Drying loads one after the other can also help by retaining the heat in the dryer for the next load.

And instead of chemical fabric softeners or dryer sheets that end up in landfills, opt for reusable wool dryer balls with a few drops of essential oils on them to add scent to laundry and reduce static.

Cyndi Bray is the inventor and founder of Wad-Free (wadfree.com) laundry products.

(Pictured: Italy, with its stunning views and favorable cost of living, is a highly rated foreign home for U.S. retirees.)

Retirees contemplating a change in surroundings might consider one of five countries for expats. 

Luxury cruise specialist Panache Cruises has named its top-five locations for retirees seeking a new life outside of the states. Life expectancy, safety, healthcare, and amenities in each country were analyzed to provide retirees with the most comfortable experience and post-job life. 

Italy offers a well-rounded transport infrastructure for residents, spanning buses, trains, and air travel with senior discounts, helping it secure the top spot in Panache’s opinion. 

With a reputation as one of the safest countries in the world, experts rank Canada at the number two spot. 

Retirees hoping to spend their post-work years surrounded by sunshine and sandy beaches should consider New Zealand, at the number three spot. American expats would be joining 60,000 retirees already living there. 

Also included in the top five are Greece and Monaco, both renowned for their quality of life and top healthcare facilities. 

James Cole, founder and managing director of Panache Cruises, said:many retirees choose to travel once they have finished working, to explore areas of the world they have never seen before. And those “looking to settle permanently in another country should consider important factors before jetting off. Researching how to obtain citizenship is an obvious starting point. and each country will have its own unique set of requirements. However, living in most countries part-time is usually easily attainable.”

As a general rule, Cole said, “you can stay in many of the world’s top destinations for 90 days on a standard tourist visa. Many other countries offer retirees 180-day visitation visas, which will allow you to spend six months of every year away from the U.S.”.

Here’s more of what Panache says about its top five: 

Italy 

Expats here can be assured to experience a fuller and longer retirement. Italy offers pleasure which can be experienced at a leisurely rate, with stunning views, beaches, food and wine all on offer. Cost-of-living is also favorable, especially within the southern areas of the country.

Canada 

With a reputation for being one of the safest countries in the world, American retirees moving to Canada can expect a quiet and peaceful life. Home to some of the best landscapes and views the world has to offer, the country is the perfect spot for wildlife-watching expats. Canada offers free healthcare to its citizens and permanent residents. The quality of life offered for expats makes it such a good option for retirees. Most visitors can stay for up to six months, but emigrating can be complex. 

New Zealand

This stunning country welcomes expats and retirees from all over the world. New Zealand has a reputation for peaceful, laid-back lifestyles for all. The universal public healthcare system is also rated highly against others around the world. New Zealand is the perfect destination for outdoor-loving retirees, with an abundance of hiking, sailing, and walking.

Monaco

Thanks to its tax-haven status, there is a thriving expat community here, with retirees from across the world. They experience a luxurious lifestyle, stunning Mediterranean coastline, and cultural attractions. As of 2022, Monaco had the oldest population in the world, with 36 percent over the age of 65. These numbers are assisted by the healthcare and safe environment in the country, making it even more favorable for American retirees. Recreational activities include golf, tennis, swimming, and sailing. Moving to Monaco isn’t cheap, though, given that a deposit of 500,000 Euros must be made in a local bank account before applying to become a resident. 

Greece

This sunshine-filled Mediterranean country has long been a hotspot for travelers and retirees alike. The Greek islands offer expats a life of blue skies and sandy beaches. The affordable cost of living, warm hospitality, and stunning scenery are part of what makes the country so attractive for retirees. With an average over 250 sunny days per year, Greece is the perfect spot for sun-seekers.

(Pictured: Asahel Curtis took this picture in 1929 of Galbraith Dock on the Seattle waterfront. The steamship Hyak Poulsbo (lower right) and the double-wing airplane ferry to Bremerton and Gorst in Kitsap County (middle) are tied up at piers. Downtown buildings are seen in the background.)

The race to preserve 60,000 priceless and fragile photographs capturing the diversity of Pacific Northwest life during the last two centuries is the subject of a documentary from Cascade PBS.

Most of the images—made by photographer Asahel Curtis from the 1890s to 1940s—have remained in boxes and unseen by all but a handful of people for the past 80 years. “Asahel: The Curtis Collection,” relating the Washington State Historical Society’s purchase of and ongoing effort to digitize the massive collection for free public use, is available to stream via the Cascade PBS app and at cascadepbs.org

“Every day is an adventure as we digitize images,” said Margaret Wetherbee, head of collections at the Historical Society. “What will we find? Steam engines, historical fashion, or signs for businesses long forgotten? These moments provide a glimpse into the lives of Washington’s past residents.” 

The images are fragile, captured on glass plates or nitrate negatives. Because they’re susceptible to combustion, the originals are at risk and must be stored in climate-controlled vaults. Each image is being scanned in time-consuming process to ensure the collection survives, Weatherbee said. 

During his career, Curtis often made images of everyday life in the Northwest: People at work in barbershops and flower shops, on the waterfront, in logging camps. He also produced photographs of the region’s natural wonders, including ice caves, mountain peaks, and coulees. 

The Curtis collection “is a gold mine of history and connection for the people of the Pacific Northwest and beyond,” said the documentary’s co-producer, narrator and historian, Knute Berger, who also hosts Cascade PBS’ “Mossback’s Northwest.” Public access to the photos “will likely change—and will certainly enrich—our view of the region and its people,” he said.

Asahel (pronounced “AY-shul”) Curtis, who died in 1941, is the brother of the even more famous photographer Edward Curtis, whose life’s work aimed, incorrectly, to portray Native Americans as people on the verge of extinction. While Edward Curtis’ portfolio is appreciated in some cases for its historical value, today it’s also criticized for distorted perspective and damaging impact. 

The Curtis brothers parted ways early in their careers and took different approaches with their work. 

“Connecting to our past is really about empathy and being able to empathize” with what people experienced and “to gain understanding of our own experience,” Jennifer Kilmer, director of the Washington State Historical Society, says in “Asahel: The Curtis Collection.” 

Cascade PBS is a public media organization serving the Northwest with Public Broadcasting
System national and local programming, independent news and investigative journalism.