Laundry takes up a lot of energy -- nearly 7 percent of a household's electricity use (most of that for the dryer), according to 2001 Energy Information Agency figures, the most recent available.
There are some easy ways to save money -- and energy -- by laundering more efficiently. Personally, I have always washed clothes in cold water, ever since my favorite sweater shrank in warm-cold when I was in seventh grade (O.K., it was wool: my mistake).
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Since much of the energy going into a washing machine serves to heat the water, this also saves energy, though experts recommend washing in warm-cold -- for better sanitation -- and then rinsing in cold alone.
