Tiny Choices Q&A: Dishwashers vs. Handwashers!
By Karina | August 30, 2007
Welcome to Tiny Choices Q&A, where we open the floor for discussion on questions which ya’ll have submitted (read the first list of questions here).
Lorelei asks:
Please compare the water/energy usage in washing dishes by hand & machine.
The jury is out on this one, Lorelei! it depends on a number of factors: are you only running a full dishwasher? is your dishwasher a very efficient model? if you wash by hand, do you wash dishes by hand under a stream of running water? do you pre-rinse your dishes before you put them into the dishwasher? Is your water heater turned up to a temperature greater than 120 degrees? do you use the “automatic dry” function on your dishwasher to avoid those pesky water spots?
Here are some of the opposing conclusions people have reached:
- I personally feel that efficient hand-washing will always be more efficient than efficient machine-washing. And it turns out I may be right! Ask Pablo experiments to determine that “Even if you are using the super energy-saver mode on the dishwasher you are still using more energy, and releasing more CO2 than by hand-washing your dishes.”
- However, EarthTalk, a feature in E/The Environmental Magazine, presents the opposing viewpoint that dishwashers, when used properly (i.e, no rinsing and run only when fully loaded) are more efficient. This also discusses the robust University of Bonn study indicating dishwashers are more efficient. [also via Treehugger]
This Q&A piggy-backs on last weeks Q&A: How do you wash dishes?
What are your thoughts on the matter? Dishwasher, or hand-washer?
Click here for the Q&A archives!
Topics: Home, Q&A | 7 Comments »
7 Comments
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Since moving to San Francisco, I have had to hand-wash all my dishes because rarely (if ever) does an apartment here have a dishwasher. Personally, I’d love to have an Energy Star dishwasher - such a time-saver!
I try to love my time spent dish-washing as required meditation! this works about half the time.
http://www.serve.com/cmtan/buddhism/Treasure/bathing.newborn.html
Thanks for looking into this! I really enjoy washing dishes, so I’m glad to hear that having a dishwasher isn’t necessarily the way to go. And of course, I soap up before using any water at all.
[...] 2. Ample time to meditate while hand-washing dishes. [...]
with a family of 6 and a energy saving dishwasher I’m glad that I don’t have to feel bad about not doing them by hand.
everyone makes their own tiny choices, kasey! I would hope you wouldn’t feel bad knowing that you made the best decision for your family and for the environment.