Most environmentally-friendly way to do dishes?

Question

Is it better to wash all by hand or load the dish washer completely full and then run it? Any tips or techniques for conserving water/energy?

Answer 1

i read an artice in new scientist wnich siad that dishwashers with a low water consumption uses less water than washing in the sink as long as you fill the dishwasher up use environmently freindly soap and a low energy rating machine.

Answer 2

Depends on your circumstances.

If you have an old electric hot water system, and an old water-INefficient dishwasher, OR even worse an old INefficient dishwasher that takes in cold water and heats it itself like many do (VERY inefficiently), then do them by hand. I personally wouldn't be washing in cold water though, as hot water helps a LOT in getting fat off things, plus it's a pretty smal amount compared to what people use in baths and/or showers.

A tip on the fat, kitchen waste water is regarded as black water, which is the same as toilet waste. This is because of the extra fat and grease that'll be present. Don't use it on food producing plants, leave that to filtered grey water (bathroom/laundry waste) and rainwater.

If you have a solar hot water system, renewable energy and a full grey+black water recycling system (these are available in Australia now, give the waste water an A+ rating, and don't even use any chemicals), then there's no need to worry, as you've got the whole process fully and sustainably covered. The water can also be not only put on food growing plants, but reused again next time you do the dishes (or whatever else you might like to do with it).

You probably fall somewhere between the two. It really depends on the system you have. Can you give some more info?

Oh and the single BEST way to conserve water/energy is to monitor how much you use. Put on your fridge calendar how many litres/kilowatts you used that particular day. You'll soon see what it takes to get it down, and recording it regularly will help make you stick to doing things well.

Change your energy supplier to 100% accredited green energy too. That's perhaps even more important as that's the way we get a chance to tell the industry that we want only clean renewable energy.

Answer 3

Do you have a dog?

Answer 4

wash up using a bio- degradable washing liquid in a bucket than uses the water to water your plants

cherrs

Answer 5

wash by hand in my opinion. I belive its better becuase I think electric uses more water and electric. and it doesn't clean that well from what i know

though I am not so sure....

Answer 6

Use only as much water( if hand washing) as needed, and use cold water. Then save that water( if you can) to reuse for plants or something that doesn't require clean water.If you are serous about being energy efficient, get a new dishwasher that is Energy Star approved. Appliances with the Energy Star label use less energy/water than normal appliances.

-And remember.....going green can also cost some green.

Answer 7

You are definitely better off washing the dishes by hand. The dishwasher uses more water, but it also uses a whole lot more energy that the water pump used to run the water into your sink would. Washing dishes in the sink also allows you the opporunity to reuse the water for something else -- watering plants or your lawn, cleaning your house, flushing the toilet (instead of using the flusher) etc.

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