Laundry. The very word can send students myself included into a state of dread at the thought of lugging their three-week-old pile of soiled and stained clothes down to the washing machines, especially for those of us living off-campus.

When I finally suck it up and drag my huge piles of laundry to my friends washer and dryer down the street, I make sure that I use minimal energy when washing my clothes.

The Eco-Reps are working to continue their green laundry campaign this semester and there are a few simple changes that students can make in order to save energy while doing the much-feared task of laundry.

Set all of your loads to a cold wash, regardless of color. Lets face it: Most college kids dont sort their laundry anyway.

In the dorms the cold-water option is labeled as bright colors.

However, it doesnt matter what the heck colors you put in there bright colors just means that it is washed with cold water.

Using the cold-water option eliminates the energy needed to heat up warm water. It also ensures that a late night pizza stain wont become a permanent part of your new shirt.

Dont overdry your clothes either. Most dryers are timed for a full hour, but 45 minutes is generally long enough to dry all of your clothes effectively.

You can also limit your energy use by washing and drying full loads, cleaning out the lint filter and even pinning your clothes outside to dry.

Finally, dont forget to recycle your detergent bottles properly.

When you finally brave washing that pile of clothes lurking in the corner of your room, remember that clean laundry can also be green laundry.