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Bridgeport Span Is a Modern Link to the Past

Bridgeport keeps its rich history alive through Trail of Tears events, battle reenactments and artifacts within the beautifully preserved Depot Museum built in 1917. But the city’s 21st-century restoration of its 1850s railroad bridge — destroyed and rebuilt twice during the Civil War — provides a 24-hour, 7 days a week, opportunity for a scenic stroll across time.

Repurposed for pedestrians, the bridge is now part of the Historic Bridgeport Walking Trail. The path stretches about a half-mile alongside active railroad tracks from the historic depot and extends out over the Tennessee River. Near where the bridge meets the river is a parking lot with restroom facilities on Bradley Avenue.

“A walk across the bridge is about a half-mile round trip,” Bridgeport Mayor David Hughes says. “It’s built on its original piers. They survived both times the bridge was destroyed during the Civil War, because they’re made of limestone rock. The bridge was made of wood, so it burned.

“What’s pretty is when a train is coming on the other bridge as you’re walking across,” Hughes says, referring to the modern replacement bridge just yards away that took over railroad traffic upon its completion in 1998. That active railway bridge runs parallel to the pedestrian bridge, which is thriving in its 4th configuration over the past 170-plus years.

“The railroad was about to tear it down,” Hughes says of the historic bridge, “but they gave it to the city in 1999, plus a $100,000 grant. It would’ve cost them $500,000 to tear it down.” The Trail of Tears historical marker at the entrance to the walking bridge says the grant was awarded to Bridgeport by the CSX railroad company and the Department of Transportation to restore and repurpose it for pedestrian-only use.

The city set to work and completed bridge renovations within the next couple of years, replacing the railroad tracks with a concrete walking surface, adding iron safety railings, and building a pavilion where the bridge ends on the western edge of Long Island, which sits in the middle of the Tennessee River.

The pavilion marks the end of pedestrian access and provides a restful shelter. Its construction was required by CSX to block walkers’ access to the active railroad track, which continues across a drawbridge over the river’s shipping lane. “We decorate the pavilion for Christmas with lights, and you can see it from Battery Hill,” Hughes says.

TVA Rewards Educators’ Energetic Efforts

The Kate Duncan Smith Daughters of the American Revolution School will be making energy-efficiency improvements to its historic campus with $210,000 in grants awarded through the Tennessee Valley Authority’s EnergyRight School Uplift program.

KDS was the only Alabama school to win the Uplift program’s highest award, a $200,000 building energy-upgrade grant that went to just 6 out of 98 participating schools across TVA’s Southeast region. KDS also earned a $10,000 learning environment grant provided to each school participating in the 2024 through 2025 program.

TVA based the funding awards on the scores schools achieved by cutting their energy waste and engaging their school community, plus a needs-based assessment that determined which facilities could achieve the greatest energy savings.

The Grant school’s planned projects include installing high-efficiency HVAC systems and LED lighting across its campus, upgrading building insulation and energy management systems, conducting solar panel integration feasibility studies, and developing student-led sustainability clubs and curriculum resources, according to TVA’s official announcement.

“These projects are expected to significantly reduce utility costs and improve indoor air quality, directly impacting student focus, attendance, and teacher satisfaction,” KDS High School Principal Larry Bolin says.

Under the leadership of energy champion Laurie Gluck, who teaches chemistry and biology at KDS High School, students spent months learning key lessons in energy conservation and the value of engaging communities in sustainability efforts. From low-cost behavioral changes to impactful infrastructure upgrades, the School Uplift program served as a launching pad for long-term energy planning.

Together, KDS staffers and students created a campus-wide energy efficiency program that combined classroom instruction, energy pep rallies, and coordinated actions designed to conserve energy during school breaks. The grants will help the school put that program into action.

TVA launched the School Uplift program in 2021 to invest in students’ futures by offering energy-efficiency training and funding to reduce energy costs and improve a school’s learning environment. To date, TVA has invested about $8.2 million to help 323 schools save on their energy bills.

Don’t Take the Power of Electricity for Granted

Electricity and water are a dangerous, potentially fatal combination. Swimmers and boat owners need to take precautions to make sure their time in and on the water is safe. While this might seem like common sense, boats and docks are often powered by electricity. One mistake could lead to tragedy. Consider the following points:

There Is No Visible Warning to Electrified Water

An electric current in water causes a paralysis of muscles, which can result in drowning. As little as 10 milliamps — 1/50 of the amount used by a 60-watt light bulb — can cause paralysis.

If You Are In or on the Water & Feel a Tingling, the Water Might Be Electrified

Immediately get out of the water. Avoid using metal objects, such as a ladder. Alert others who are in the water to try to stay upright, tuck their legs in smaller and swim away from anything that could be energized.

If You Believe an Electric Shock Drowning Is Occurring, Turn Off All Power, Throw a Life Ring, & Call 911

Do not enter the water. It could still be electrified.

If You Own a Dock, Install Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters & Test Them Monthly

Use portable UL-Marine List GFCIs when using electricity near water.

If You Own a Boat That Uses Electricity, Install Equipment Leakage Circuit Interrupters To Protect Swimmers From Electric Shock in the Water Around the Boat

The Energy Education Council recommends that all electrical installations be performed by a professional electrical contractor familiar with marine codes and standards. The organization also recommends that individuals avoid swimming around docks with electrical equipment or boats plugged into shore power. Many electrical shock drowning deaths have occurred around private docks and boats plugged into shore power while docked.

Pavilion Serves Up Good, Clean Food & Fun

The Pavilion at Snug Harbor is more than a lakeside restaurant. It’s a key ingredient in owner Tom Jones’ evolving recipe for filling some local needs, including “a place where kids can get off their computer for a while to play in the water and basically have good food free of any additives.”

Shortly after Guntersville Dam was completed in 1939, Snug Harbor was the site of the first marina built on the reservoir, Jones says. “When I grew up in Grant in the ’70s, Snug Harbor was a place we used to go to ski, to fish. We’d basically stay on the river all weekend.”

Those memories inspired Jones to build The Pavilion, which will celebrate its second anniversary this fall. Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday through Sunday, The Pavilion provides customers and visitors access to water activities and a boatload of good food options. It’s located at 154 Snug Harbor Road, just off Highway 431, in Grant.

The restaurant’s lakefront wall is actually 6 large doors that roll up and out of sight. “Eating here is like being outside on a picnic,” Jones says. “We can open up all those doors to see the sunset and the lake views. But it’s nothing fancy — just a place to come and have a big time, run around in your bathing suit, soaking wet.” On hot days, fans provide comfort, and when it’s cold, portable heaters keep customers toasty.

The menu of fresh meats, seafood, and desserts, all made from scratch, represents the solution to a problem Jones was facing long before he decided to open a restaurant. DredgeIt, his primary business cleaning waterways, takes Jones and his employees to remote areas along the East Coast and beyond, where food options are often limited.

“My guys would go out and eat, then all day long they’d feel bad,” he says. “So, I started cooking for them, feeding them good food. Then they were able to work longer and feel good, not sick all the time. What you eat really controls how you feel.”

Bringing the Heat

A DredgeIt crew favorite is AJ Wings, which brings a spicy kick to The Pavilion’s menu. “They really like chicken wings, so I’d marinate them in a cooler overnight in Frank’s RedHot sauce and pickled jalapeno juice,” Jones says. “And then we’d get to the job, I’d grill them to 165 degrees, and then we’d flash fry them in peanut oil.”

The Pavilion’s seafood options include fresh oysters delivered weekly from the Gulf Coast. “I’ve eaten oysters all up and down the East Coast, but our oysters are better,” Jones says. “I get them fresh every week and keep them at 38 degrees. And when we’re shucking them or doing anything, we keep them on ice. A lot of times, I just throw them on the firewood, they’ll pop open, and I just eat them like that.”

Wood is the fuel of choice at The Pavilion. “We cook all of our food on direct heat, which is basically firewood. Because when you get older and you eat food that’s been smoked in a smoker, it’ll give you heartburn.”

Grilled items include all-beef hot dogs, burgers and briskets, pork butts and a red rub-seasoned chicken that gets eaten “all the way to the bone,” Jones says. Unique sandwiches, tacos, stews, gumbo, pizza, loaded grill-baked potatoes, decadent desserts, cold treats, and more are also on the menu.

Food prep is done in food truck-type stations, and all orders are made to go. “80% of it goes to people who come in or call in for an order to take with them,” Jones says. “A lot of the customers come in golf carts or 4-wheelers. Hundreds of people come in boats, pick up the food, and go out on their boats to eat.”

Jones prepares a Lowcountry boil every day except Thursday, which is when The Pavilion is hopping with its weekly cornhole tournament. “Every Thursday, people drive in from near and far for the cornhole tournament,” he says. “When you talk about getting serious, they really get serious about cornhole.”

Pavilion guests can also enjoy activities like playing in the water and swimming. Plenty of spots are available for fishing, with a permit, and kayaks and boats can be rented. Jones says he plans to “put in a little water park that covers about 3 acres.” The Pavilion also frequently hosts parties and events.

“We’re just basically aiming to create a place to jump out of your car, get some good food, go fishing, play in the water,” Jones says. “And you know, we’ve got a great sunset.”

Enroll To Receive Rebates, Cut Energy Costs

North Alabama Electric Cooperative (NAEC) and TVA EnergyRight invite NAEC members to enroll in Smart Thermostat Rewards. This program provides rebates to participants with a qualifying Wi-Fi smart thermostat and helps them use less electricity during times of peak energy demand, such as a summer heat wave or winter cold snap.

Not only does the program bring savings by reducing electricity use, but NAEC and TVA EnergyRight will give participants enrollment rewards and annual rebates.

How the Plan Works

NAEC members will receive a $65 rebate when they enroll their existing smart thermostat, plus up to $65 each year they participate in the program. Those who don’t have a qualifying smart thermostat can purchase one online at the TVA EnergyRight Marketplace and receive a rebate of up to $100 upon enrollment.

By enrolling their thermostat in Smart Thermostat Rewards, participants agree to small, automatic adjustments of up to 4 degrees for a duration of up to 4 hours during times of peak demand, as much as 60 hours per season. These peak hours normally are afternoons in the summer and early mornings during the colder months. Members can opt out of an adjustment at any time using their thermostat or app, but they must maintain a 65% participation rate to receive the annual rebate.

Members who use electricity to both heat and cool their homes are assigned to the year-round program with the annual $65 rebate. Those who cool with electricity but heat primarily by non-electric means — natural gas, wood-burning stove, heating oil, etc. — can still participate via the summer-only program, which provides a 1-time enrollment rebate of $65 and an annual participation rebate of $20.

Members will receive the one-time $65 enrollment rebate check within 60 days of being accepted into the program. Checks are to be sent to the mailing address used to register the smart thermostat.

Go to the Smart Thermostat Rewards Program page to enroll.

Smart thermostat partners include Alarm.com, Amazon, ecobee, Honeywell Home, Nest, and Sensi. See a full list of approved devices on the Thermostat Rewards website. Internet connectivity is required. Members can withdraw from the Smart Thermostat Rewards program at any time by emailing TVA Energy and requesting to end participation.

Family Takes Barn-Style to Next Level for Airbnb Site

On a sprawling carpet of green off the beaten path in Jackson County sits a beautiful white barn. It can’t be seen from the road, and about the only reminder civilization is anywhere near is the occasional rumble of a train through the valley. But rather than a site for housing farm animals, this is Hollywood’s Barnbnb, an Airbnb retreat and event venue that can accommodate dozens of guests in modern comfort.

Built in 2023 to host weddings, this family-run enterprise got a huge makeover after guests wanted more sleeping spaces, becoming an Airbnb in April 2024. “The barn had a loft apartment to begin with, but there were only 2 queen beds there,” venue host Markita Cunningham says. After custom renovations by her fiancé, builder Mike Crouch, “now the barn sleeps 23, and you can seat 150 for gatherings.”

Next to the Barnbnb is an expansive Airbnb farmhouse that can sleep 21 guests. Owned by Cary and Michael Brooks, Crouch’s sister and brother-in-law, the house “was already booked out constantly, so there wasn’t an easy way to do a package deal where you rent both,” Cunningham says. “We decided to separate the properties and focus on how to make the Barnbnb a place where you can just come and have a great weekend or utilize the space as your wedding location, do your reception here and be able to have your whole bridal party stay on-site.”

Hollywood’s Barnbnb hosts plenty of weddings and events, but it also attracts a diverse range of guests — families who need a large space for reunions or just a getaway, golfers who spend long weekends to play nearby courses, friend groups wanting to catch up and fishing teams in the area for tournaments on Lake Guntersville, to name just a few. “Our focus now is on whatever your needs are,” Cunningham says.

Outside of personal items and perhaps some groceries, guests will find pretty much all they need at Hollywood’s Barnbnb. There are 4 bedrooms — including a bunkroom that sleeps 15 and an accessible bedroom on the first floor — 6 bathrooms, laundry appliances, an upstairs kitchen, and room for extra guests. “We’ve had as many as 30 sleep here,” Cunningham says. “They’ll ask if they can bring air mattresses, and I’m like, I don’t care. If you’re comfortable with air mattresses, bring them.”

On the first floor is a large, fully equipped commercial kitchen. “We built it as a catering kitchen,” Cunningham says. “But if you want to have a private chef here for your wedding or just while vacationing, there’s plenty of space for them to cook. It has warming racks, a baker’s rack — whatever they need is here.”

The Barnbnb’s central hub is its large events area. The massive space can seat 150 and has plenty of room for indoor recreation. There’s an arcade machine with hundreds of retro games, pingpong and pool tables, an ax-throwing station, Pop- A-Shot arcade basketball, darts, cornhole, board games and even everything needed for an indoor pickleball match.

If it’s raining or cold, you’ve got the games inside,” Cunningham says. “If it’s not, you’ve got the whole backyard to come outside, play baseball, or just sit and relax, enjoy the view of the mountains in the distance. It’s really pretty out here.”

The covered patio has a grill and a fire pit to gather around. The newly added pool is a cool option on a hot day, but it will be open all year. “If you like ice plunges, you’re welcome to get in the cold pool,” Cunningham says. “Otherwise, regardless of the season, it’s just pretty to look at.”

Adding to the view are wildlife like deer and turkeys, often seen wandering the property’s 130-plus acres, as well as the cattle that live on the neighboring farm. “We love the cows out here, and the guests really like to see them and watch the babies play,” Cunningham says.

“I post their photos on the Facebook page, but not on Airbnb, so it’s kind of like a little relaxing surprise when people get here and see them.”

Hollywood’s Barnbnb is located at 8001 County Road 33. For more information, call (256) 628-4464 or visit its Facebook page as well as the Airbnb website.

Article III – Meeting of Members

Section 3. Voting.

Each member shall be entitled to only one vote upon each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of the members. All questions shall be decided by a vote of a majority of the members voting thereon in person, except as otherwise provided by law, the articles of incorporation, or these bylaws.

Section 5(A). Mail and Proxy Voting.

Any member who is absent from an annual meeting or special meeting of the members may vote by mail or by proxy at such meeting upon any motion or resolution pertaining to the borrowing of funds or mortgaging or encumbering of the cooperative’s property. The secretary shall be responsible for the enclosure with the notice of such meeting of an exact copy of such motion or resolution to be acted upon, and such absent member shall express his vote thereon by placing a cross (x) in the space provided therefore opposite each such motion or resolution. Such absent member shall enclose each such copy so marked in a sealed envelope bearing his name and addressed to the secretary. When such written vote so enclosed is received by mail from any absent member, it shall be counted as the vote of such member at such meeting. In the case of a joint membership, if husband and wife are both absent from such meeting, a written vote received from either of them shall constitute one joint vote. Such proxy shall be in writing and filed with the secretary before or at the time of the meeting. No proxy shall be voted at any meeting of the members unless it shall designate the particular meeting at which it is to be voted, and no proxy shall be voted at any meeting other than the one so designated or any adjournment of such meeting. No proxy shall be valid after 60 days from the date of its execution. The presence of a member at a meeting of the members shall revoke a proxy theretofore executed by him and such member shall be entitled to vote at such meeting in the same manner and with the same effect as if he had not executed a proxy. In case of a joint membership, a proxy may be executed by either husband or wife. The presence of either husband or wife at a meeting of the members shall revoke a proxy theretofore executed by either of them and such joint member or members shall be entitled to vote at such meeting in the same manner and with the same effect as if a proxy had not been executed. The failure of any absent member to receive a copy of any such motion shall not invalidate any action which may be taken by the members at any such meeting.

Article IV – Trustees

Section 2. Election and Tenure of Office.

The persons named as board members in the articles of incorporation shall compose the board until the first annual meeting or until their successors shall have been elected and shall have qualified. Members of the board shall be elected by secret ballot at each annual meeting of the members beginning with the year 1944 by and from the members to serve until the next annual meeting of the members or until their successor shall have been elected and shall have qualified. At the annual meeting of the members in 1957, trustees for districts 2, 5, and 6 shall be elected for a term of one year. Trustees for districts 3, 4, and 9 shall be elected for a term of two years, and trustees for districts 1, 7, and 8 shall be elected for a term of three years. At the expiration of their respective terms, the trustees shall be elected for terms of three years at each annual meeting of the members.

Section 4. Nominations.

It shall be the duty of the board to appoint, not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days before the date of a meeting of the members at which board members are to be elected, a committee on nominations consisting of not less than five nor more than 11 members who shall be selected from different sections so as to ensure equitable representation. No member of the board may serve on such committee. The committee, keeping in mind the principle of equitable representation, shall prepare and post at the principle office of the cooperative at least 20 days before the meeting a list of nominations for board members. The secretary shall be responsible for mailing with the notice of the meeting or separately, but at least 10 days before the date of the meeting, a statement of the number of board members to be elected and the names and addresses of the candidates nominated by the committee on nominations. Any 15 or more members acting together may make other nominations by petition, and the secretary shall post such nominations at the same place where the list of nominations made by the committee is posted. Nominations made by petition, if any, must be received at least 45 days before the meeting to be included on the official ballot. The names and addresses of any candidates nominated by petition shall be included with the notice by the secretary of candidates nominated by the committee on nominations. The chairman shall call for additional nominations from the floor, and nominations shall not be closed until at least one minute has passed during which no additional nomination has been made. No member may nominate more than one candidate.

Statement of Nondiscrimination

North Alabama Electric Cooperative is the recipient of federal financial assistance from the Rural Utilities Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and is subject to the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture which provide that no person in the United States on the basis of race, color, national origin, age or handicap shall be excluded from participation in, admission or access to, denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any of this organization’s programs or activities. The person responsible for coordinating this organization’s nondiscrimination compliance efforts is Gena Hall, General Manager. Any individual or specific class of individuals who feels that this organization has subjected them to discrimination may obtain further information about the statutes and regulations listed above from and/or file a written complaint with this organization; or the secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250; or the administrator, Rural Utilities Service, Washington, D.C. 20250.

Complaints must be filed within 180 days after the alleged discrimination. Confidentiality will be maintained to the extent possible.

Rivers, Creeks & Waterfalls Await

As cool creeks cascade down mountains to feed flowing rivers, now’s the time to take advantage of the area’s many recreational options on the water. At the heart of these is the Tennessee River, flowing through Jackson, Marshall, and Madison counties as it winds from Knoxville, Tennessee, to meet the Ohio River at Paducah, Kentucky.

Working hard to make the river’s entire 652-mile length accessible for boaters and paddlers is the appropriately named Tennessee RiverLine 652. The group helped establish the Tennessee RiverTowns Program that cultivates collaboration among communities along the river’s banks.

A community can earn the official Tennessee RiverTown designation as part of the effort to develop a cohesive river trail, offering new or updated waterfront amenities in a continuous system of paddling, hiking, and biking experiences.

In Bridgeport, this effort includes updates to River Park and the construction of a new campground there. A free paddle event kicks off the park’s busy summer. The paddle will be held from 9 a.m. to noon every first Saturday, beginning this month. Kayaks are available for use at no cost, but supplies are limited.

On June 21, Bridgeport will be crowded with kayakers. The park welcomes Paddle Georgia 2025, whose participants wind up their 6-day, 80-mile paddle on June 22 at Stevenson City Park. This is the first time Paddle Georgia, celebrating its 20th year, will have an excursion on the Tennessee River. Its paddlers embark from Ringgold, Georgia, on June 15 and camp overnight at sites along the way to Stevenson.

Another upcoming excursion is the fifth annual Pitt to Port Paddle, scheduled for June 28. Paddlers leave from South Pittsburg Municipal Park for the 6.2-mile trip to Bridgeport’s River Park, where lunch awaits.

These events and more can be found on the Tennessee RiverLine 652 website, tnriverline.org, and the organization’s Facebook page.

Going Batty

A short paddle or boat ride upriver from the Guntersville Dam — or a bit longer one from the Honeycomb Creek ramp — offers the only views available for the incredible swarm at dusk of endangered gray bats leaving the Hambrick Bat Cave, located on the Tennessee River’s east bank in Guntersville. June and July are the best months to see this spectacle, which can only be viewed from the water.

Boaters and paddlers anchor near the cave entrance to see the mass exodus, which can exceed 60,000 bats. The cave itself is off-limits, and visitors must not shine lights of any kind during the emergence. A red head lamp is recommended for use on the ride back, since bats cannot see that light, but other boaters can.

Another colony of these gray bats can be seen emerging each summer evening from Nickajack Cave, just over the Tennessee state line, about 12 miles from Bridgeport. Like the Hambrick Bat Cave, Nickajack is a maternity roost for this endangered bat species and is closed to the public. However, thanks to a viewing platform, the bat emergence at Nickajack Cave can be witnessed from dry land.

Swimming Spots

Anyone up for hiking at least 2 hours through amazing scenery to reach a refreshing swimming hole needs to check out the Walls of Jericho in the Skyline Wildlife Management Area near Estillfork. Pack plenty of snacks and drinks, and sturdy footwear is a must. This is not a quick in-and-back excursion, and the 6 miles of trail — mostly downhill to the destination and uphill on the return — are very challenging.

The reward of the walls of rock, multiple waterfalls, and alluring blue pool make the hike worthwhile, although rainfall amounts will affect the robustness of the site’s signature water features. Hikers should be prepared to make a day of it, and those who prefer to stay longer can camp at no cost. But all visitors should be aware that this is a remote location with no services. A cellphone is useful only as a camera.

Walls of Jericho is within the upper Paint Rock River watershed, which protects the headwaters of the Paint Rock River — a 58-mile-long tributary of the Tennessee River and a popular destination for paddlers.

Access to the river is available through Paint Rock Canoe & Kayak, open weekends all summer and by appointment during the week. Besides the beautiful river scenery, kayakers can enjoy a cool break from paddling at the Blue Hole, a natural spring and popular river swimming spot.

You Have the Power To Keep Costs Down

Summer brings the heat, but that doesn’t have to mean getting burned by high electric bills. There are some pretty chill ways to keep costs down as the temperature rises.

Perhaps the most obvious hot-weather power hog is the air conditioning system. It has to work overtime if the thermostat is set too far below the outdoor temperature. The Department of Energy recommends setting the thermostat at 78 degrees, 80 degrees, or higher when no one is home and around 72 degrees overnight.

Programmable and smart thermostats allow users to set the temperature to match the needs and schedules of the household. These devices — also available for window units — can quickly pay for themselves in savings.

Air conditioners will get a boost if the house is prepared to block out the heat.

Curtains and blinds aren’t just for privacy; they’re great insulators and should be closed on hot days, especially on the sunny side of the house. Also, properly insulating gaps around windows and doors and making sure central-air vents and returns are unobstructed will help the cooling system do its job. Ceiling fans do a great job helping circulate that cooled air, but they should be used only when someone is in the room.

Sometimes saving energy is as simple as changing a light bulb. Energy Star reports that replacing a home’s 5 most-used light fixtures or bulbs with its certified products can cut about $40 a year.

Slight changes in daily routines can also help. Try cooking outside on a grill and avoid using dryers and dishwashers during the heat of the day. Lower the water heater thermostat to 120 degrees and plug equipment like computers and televisions into power strips to be switched off when the devices aren’t in use. Otherwise, electronics that are turned off still use a small amount of energy by simply being plugged in.

Don’t Forget About the Dryer

1 fresh approach to cutting energy costs is actually a blast from the past — using an outdoor clothesline or indoor drying rack instead of the dryer whenever possible.

If outdoor space is available, installing a clothesline saves on dryer-related costs and eliminates adding unwanted heat from the clothes dryer to the home. Another plus is that air drying is better for fabrics and keeps clothes and linens looking fresh longer.

When determining the best location for a clothesline, keep in mind that a typical load of laundry requires about 35 feet of line. This could be a permanent installation using posts set in the ground, or it can be as simple as hanging the line between 2 trees or other sturdy features.

For those who don’t have the time, patience, or space to let clothes air dry, there are easy ways to make the dryer work more efficiently. The key is to avoid overdrying clothes. If the dryer has a moisture sensor, selecting this feature will automatically turn the machine off when clothes are done. Otherwise, try to match the cycle length to the size and weight of the load. Also, it’s more efficient to dry full loads or reduce drying time for partial loads and to group similar fabrics together so the entire load will dry at the same time. A dryer operating an extra 15 minutes per load can cost you up to $34 every year, according to Energy Star.

A clean lint trap boosts dryer efficiency. Lint buildup means clothes will take longer to dry or may not dry at all. Cleaning the trap before each load is a step that can also save up to $34 yearly.