A clothes line or washing line is any type of rope, cord, or twine that has been stretched between two points (e.g. two sticks), outside or indoors, above the level of the ground. Clothing that has recently been washed is hung along the line to dry, using clothes pegs or clothespins. Washing lines are attached either from a post or a wall, and are frequently located in back gardens, or on balconies. Longer washing lines often have props holding up sections in the middle due to the weight of the usually wet clothing. More elaborate rotary washing lines save space and are typically retractable and square or triangular in shape, with multiple lines being used (such as the Hills Hoist from Australia). Some can be folded up when not in use (although there is a very minor hazard of getting fingers caught, so there is usually a safety button). In Scotland, many tenement buildings have a "drying green", which is a communal area predominantly used for clothes lines – it may also be used as a recreational space - as well as a clothes horse connected to a pulley system inside which can be used in the frequently cold winter weather. Comparison with clothes dryer Both clothes lines and clothes dryers serve the same purpose: drying clothes that have been recently washed, or that are wet in general. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of using a clothes line instead of a mechanical dryer: Advantages Saves money. Zero greenhouse gas emissions per load (2 kg CO2eq of greenhouse gas emissions from the average mechanical clothes dryer per load). Less fabric wear and tear. Laundry items do not shrink (hot air from a mechanical clothes dryer may shrink items). No static cling and no perfume smells throughout the neighborhood from fabric softener and anti-static dryer sheets. Laundry items stay softer to the touch (mechanical clothes dryers tend to remove short, soft, fine fibers), and may be less wrinkled. Laundry items often do not need ironing if line dried in a breeze. Avoids the potential of airborne lint and reduced air quality. Eliminates the noise from a mechanical clothes dryer. Does not vent indoor air to the outside and waste the large volume of conditioned (heated or cooled) air that a mechanical dryer's blower does. For a simple line drying arrangement (rope and clothes pins) the repair and replacement costs are about