When it comes to the laundry room, there’s not a lot you can do to make it more technologically advanced and environmentally friendly.  There are lower-impact detergents and whatnot, but for the most part laundry technology is about the same as it’s always been, at least as far as dryers are concerned.  The dryer is the second-most energy-hogging appliance in the house, just behind the refrigerator.  However, there are ways you can cut back on your expenses and green up the laundry.

The crucial element would be to upgrade your washing machine.  New washers use less water, thus that means the clothes that come out of them require less drying (another tip might be to wring clothes out before dumping them into the dryer).  It uses less water *and* uses less energy to dry those sopping wet clothes.  That also means less detergent sloshing down the drain during the rinse cycle.

If you can’t quite make that big jump, then you can turn your laundry room into a multi-purpose room.  I couldn’t do that at my house (I have a laundry room/utility room combination already), but I do like the idea of turning the laundry room into some sort of home office combination.  There’s also something to be said of having the washer and dryer in the kitchen or off to the side from one of the bathrooms.  Fresh towels, right out of the dryer!  Any space you can save is useful.