Whats worse for the environment:?

Question

Washing dishes by hand, or throwing away paper/plastic/styrofoam plates?

Answer 1

Hands down, please wash dishes by hand, disposing of styrofoam and plastic is bad for the environment, paper is filling our landfills faster than it can degrade back into the environment.

Water is our best renewable resource.

Plastics and styrofoam are using up many natural resources just to create, then we have to dispose of the trash.

Answer 2

Throwing away paper/plastic/styrofoam plates is probably worse than washing dishes by hand. It depends on the water usage of the person washing dishes. Both will be bad if water usage is high.

Answer 3

i say washing dishes because water isn't renewable but you can plant tree's over and over again

Answer 4

Washing dishes by hand is far better. The product only has to be manufacturered, packaged, and shipped once. The water and energy used to wash dishes in minimal. The raw material, power, and water to make and transport disposables for each use + the waste factor are huge.

Answer 5

throwing away the plates

Answer 6

Water isn't renewable?  What happens to it?  Does it just go away?  Are water treatment plants just for fun? Throw aways are worse.  They take a long time to biodegrade, which means we will need to build more landfills.  Washing dishes is much better.  

Answer 7

"throwing away paper/plastic/styrofoam plates" is definitely worse. styrofoam and plastics are made from fossil fuels, and paper plates that are thrown away go into a landfill. Water and the scraps you rinse down the drain along with soap and cleaners goes into the ground. While soap and cleaners aren't nessecarily good, most are designed not to persist in the septic system or sewerage. And if you recycle grey water like some people are attempting to do it is even better to wash you dishes.  

Answer 8

Styrofoam does not bio-degrade, it will never go away, you cannot burn it without releasing hazardous chemicals into the atmosphere.  Washing dishes by hand, not only prevents waste in landfills, but over time, will prove to be more effective in helping the environment.  Fresh water can replenish itself, not over night, but it can, due to rainfall and melting ice and snow.

Answer 9

Throwing away all the paper is worse because to decompose it and burning it puts pollutants into the air.