Somewhere there is a green balance between the dishwasher and hand washing dishes. If you only run full loads and turn off the heated dry option, the dishwasher is actually more energy and water efficient than hand washing. The dishwasher also has the advantage of sanitizing items if people in your household are sick. If you have just a few large items to wash, hand washing is more energy and water efficient. You can also take your dish water outside when you’re done and use it to water your garden.
In the past, I’ve been guilty of running un-full loads in the dishwasher and putting large items like mixing bowls in there but lately I’ve gotten a lot better about which method I use to wash my dishes. My new method is to put all small items in the dishwasher and hand wash all large items (and then use my dish water on the garden). If I need one of the small items again before I’ve run the dishwasher (it sometimes takes several days to fill it since I live alone), I just pull that item out and hand wash it rather than turning on the dishwasher at that point.
How do you do your dishes?
Related posts:
Practical Ways to Save Water
The Best of It’s Frugal Being Green: March 2009
Prevent Water Pollution by Taking Your Car to a Car Wash
What I’m Reading 3/27
15 Things I’ve Done Lately to be More Green
 Subscribe via RSS |  Subscribe via Email | learn more about subscribing |
{ 1 comment }
Everywhere we have lived for the past 2 years has not had a dishwasher. (Something my husband hates since he does the dishes!) So we HAVE to hand wash. This month will be our first at our new place and our first water bill since we have moved to KY. I am curious to see how they compare to our bills in AL.
Comments on this entry are closed.