Our first home did not have a dishwasher. We lived there five long years and everyday I wished for one. I will never take them for granted again!
One area of debate though ~ is it more eco-friendly to wash dishes by hand? Or to use an automatic dishwasher? Many years ago when I first researched this topic, I would have guessed that washing them by hand was. I learned that was not the case in most instances. A Dishwasher usually wins over in the green department.
Why is a dishwasher better?
The bottom line is that is uses less energy (hot water), only a sixth of the water (wow!), and much less soap per dish.
Now don’t blow the statistics out of the water. Let’s talk about rinsing. This is a hot topic at my house. Hubby believes in rinsing the dishes well before placing them in the dishwasher. That is a waste to me and extra water used. When you do rinse off the crud, don’t leave the water continuously running. Shut it off when placing the dish down and turn it on again once the next item is in your hand.
Also be sure to load your dishwasher so that it is full. Don’t waste that space!
When you go out to buy a new dishwasher be sure to read all the dishwasher reviews and find one that is Energy Star. Results will vary with different models and you only want the best, right? Remember less energy = saving money.
I’m so glad that Dishwashers are greener because I don’t know what I would do if the tests showed that I needed to hand wash. I’d make Hubby do it. 🙂
Do you still hand wash?
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