Comments on: Dishwashers, Energy Star, water efficiency and the environment. A consumer guide. http://www.practicalenvironmentalist.com/eco-gadgets/dishwashers-energy-star-water-efficiency-and-the-environment-a-consumer-guide.htm Useful environmentally friendly news and advice. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:36:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: jefro http://www.practicalenvironmentalist.com/eco-gadgets/dishwashers-energy-star-water-efficiency-and-the-environment-a-consumer-guide.htm/comment-page-1#comment-4229 jefro Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:46:59 +0000 http://www.practicalenvironmentalist.com/eco-gadgets/dishwashers-energy-star-water-efficiency-and-the-environment-a-consumer-guide.htm#comment-4229 NO home dishwasher uses gray water. That would be dangerous. You could literally kill a person with such a foolish action. I have never seen a nfs rated washer do such a dangerous thing. Pretty sure it is against plumbing codes of any modern country. NO home dishwasher uses gray water. That would be dangerous. You could literally kill a person with such a foolish action.

I have never seen a nfs rated washer do such a dangerous thing. Pretty sure it is against plumbing codes of any modern country.

]]> By: Jane Leaper http://www.practicalenvironmentalist.com/eco-gadgets/dishwashers-energy-star-water-efficiency-and-the-environment-a-consumer-guide.htm/comment-page-1#comment-3807 Jane Leaper Sat, 25 Oct 2008 00:17:40 +0000 http://www.practicalenvironmentalist.com/eco-gadgets/dishwashers-energy-star-water-efficiency-and-the-environment-a-consumer-guide.htm#comment-3807 I'd like to add that the idea that dishwashers use less power and water to clean dishes than washing up by hand is one of the most successful pieces of greenwash there has been so far, and as for Lars - he should take a housekeeping course. Leaving the tap running indeed! What total nonsense. I’d like to add that the idea that dishwashers use less power and water to clean dishes than washing up by hand is one of the most successful pieces of greenwash there has been so far, and as for Lars – he should take a housekeeping course. Leaving the tap running indeed! What total nonsense.

]]> By: Jane Leaper http://www.practicalenvironmentalist.com/eco-gadgets/dishwashers-energy-star-water-efficiency-and-the-environment-a-consumer-guide.htm/comment-page-1#comment-3806 Jane Leaper Sat, 25 Oct 2008 00:15:12 +0000 http://www.practicalenvironmentalist.com/eco-gadgets/dishwashers-energy-star-water-efficiency-and-the-environment-a-consumer-guide.htm#comment-3806 We wash up once or twice a day. We use a plastic washing up bowl that holds 2 gallons full. We half fill it - that is about 1 gallon. We do not rinse. That is less hot water than any dishwasher. I've done that all my life. It is how I was brought up. I'm English. We wash up once or twice a day. We use a plastic washing up bowl that holds 2 gallons full. We half fill it – that is about 1 gallon. We do not rinse. That is less hot water than any dishwasher.

I’ve done that all my life. It is how I was brought up. I’m English.

]]> By: Becky http://www.practicalenvironmentalist.com/eco-gadgets/dishwashers-energy-star-water-efficiency-and-the-environment-a-consumer-guide.htm/comment-page-1#comment-3325 Becky Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:49:28 +0000 http://www.practicalenvironmentalist.com/eco-gadgets/dishwashers-energy-star-water-efficiency-and-the-environment-a-consumer-guide.htm#comment-3325 According to consumerenergycenter.org, "According to researchers, a load of dishes cleaned in a dishwasher requires 37 percent less water than washing dishes by hand. However, if you fill the wash and rinse basins instead of letting the water run, you'll use half as much water as a dishwasher would." I wonder if anyone has exactly measured this? According to consumerenergycenter.org, “According to researchers, a load of dishes cleaned in a dishwasher requires 37 percent less water than washing dishes by hand. However, if you fill the wash and rinse basins instead of letting the water run, you’ll use half as much water as a dishwasher would.” I wonder if anyone has exactly measured this?

]]> By: Becky http://www.practicalenvironmentalist.com/eco-gadgets/dishwashers-energy-star-water-efficiency-and-the-environment-a-consumer-guide.htm/comment-page-1#comment-3324 Becky Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:38:52 +0000 http://www.practicalenvironmentalist.com/eco-gadgets/dishwashers-energy-star-water-efficiency-and-the-environment-a-consumer-guide.htm#comment-3324 Has anyone taken into account the amount of electricity (pretty expensive in this day and age) that dishwashers use, and not just the amount of water? Washing dishes by hand uses NO electricity. So what's the difference? Has anyone taken into account the amount of electricity (pretty expensive in this day and age) that dishwashers use, and not just the amount of water? Washing dishes by hand uses NO electricity. So what’s the difference?

]]> By: Wendy http://www.practicalenvironmentalist.com/eco-gadgets/dishwashers-energy-star-water-efficiency-and-the-environment-a-consumer-guide.htm/comment-page-1#comment-3093 Wendy Thu, 17 Apr 2008 06:01:06 +0000 http://www.practicalenvironmentalist.com/eco-gadgets/dishwashers-energy-star-water-efficiency-and-the-environment-a-consumer-guide.htm#comment-3093 Just want to say thank you for this post! I have been trying to convince my husband for three weeks that we need to use the dishwasher to cut costs and he just doesn't believe me. This from the man that thought we would save money going to the laundry mat lol. I am armed with info in the fight to keep the water bills down and to get out of washing dishes. Oh, by the way..the water company told me that a dishwasher uses more water than washing in the sink! What morons. Just want to say thank you for this post! I have been trying to convince my husband for three weeks that we need to use the dishwasher to cut costs and he just doesn’t believe me. This from the man that thought we would save money going to the laundry mat lol. I am armed with info in the fight to keep the water bills down and to get out of washing dishes.

Oh, by the way..the water company told me that a dishwasher uses more water than washing in the sink! What morons.

]]> By: Charles Forster http://www.practicalenvironmentalist.com/eco-gadgets/dishwashers-energy-star-water-efficiency-and-the-environment-a-consumer-guide.htm/comment-page-1#comment-2900 Charles Forster Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:01:50 +0000 http://www.practicalenvironmentalist.com/eco-gadgets/dishwashers-energy-star-water-efficiency-and-the-environment-a-consumer-guide.htm#comment-2900 I used to be anti-dishwasher, then I realized how much water I was using that I could be saving. Now, we almost exclusively use it. Both my girlfriend and I are super water conscious and try to save as much as we can. We started using the Ecover tablets, and they work great. I used to be anti-dishwasher, then I realized how much water I was using that I could be saving. Now, we almost exclusively use it. Both my girlfriend and I are super water conscious and try to save as much as we can.

We started using the Ecover tablets, and they work great.

]]> By: Lars http://www.practicalenvironmentalist.com/eco-gadgets/dishwashers-energy-star-water-efficiency-and-the-environment-a-consumer-guide.htm/comment-page-1#comment-2888 Lars Wed, 19 Mar 2008 15:16:21 +0000 http://www.practicalenvironmentalist.com/eco-gadgets/dishwashers-energy-star-water-efficiency-and-the-environment-a-consumer-guide.htm#comment-2888 Hi Amy, Here's the deal. You SCRAPE the dishes off before you put them in the dishwasher instead of rinsing. The only time that you still might need to rinse is when you have cheese stuck to the plate. If you have a scrub brush, you hardly need to use any water at all. I barely scrape my plates at all in my Energy Star dishwasher, and they come out spotless. It's only when there is cheese stuck to the plate that I have to pay attention at all before I put something in. My wife gets grossed out by putting the plates in the dishwasher when they still have stuff on them, and so she likes to rinse them off first. That totally defeats the purpose of having a dishwasher! You want the DISHWASHER to do the work instead of YOU! Hi Amy,

Here’s the deal. You SCRAPE the dishes off before you put them in the dishwasher instead of rinsing.

The only time that you still might need to rinse is when you have cheese stuck to the plate. If you have a scrub brush, you hardly need to use any water at all.

I barely scrape my plates at all in my Energy Star dishwasher, and they come out spotless. It’s only when there is cheese stuck to the plate that I have to pay attention at all before I put something in.

My wife gets grossed out by putting the plates in the dishwasher when they still have stuff on them, and so she likes to rinse them off first. That totally defeats the purpose of having a dishwasher! You want the DISHWASHER to do the work instead of YOU!

]]> By: Amy http://www.practicalenvironmentalist.com/eco-gadgets/dishwashers-energy-star-water-efficiency-and-the-environment-a-consumer-guide.htm/comment-page-1#comment-2886 Amy Wed, 19 Mar 2008 02:57:50 +0000 http://www.practicalenvironmentalist.com/eco-gadgets/dishwashers-energy-star-water-efficiency-and-the-environment-a-consumer-guide.htm#comment-2886 I was wondering if it is still necessary on newer model dishwashers to rinse dishes before loading them into the dishwasher, and do the dishes come out clean? I don't have a dishwasher partly because of my negative experiences with them, basically having to wash the dishes before and after anyway. Not as energy efficient in such cases. I was wondering if it is still necessary on newer model dishwashers to rinse dishes before loading them into the dishwasher, and do the dishes come out clean? I don’t have a dishwasher partly because of my negative experiences with them, basically having to wash the dishes before and after anyway. Not as energy efficient in such cases.

]]> By: Steve Watkins http://www.practicalenvironmentalist.com/eco-gadgets/dishwashers-energy-star-water-efficiency-and-the-environment-a-consumer-guide.htm/comment-page-1#comment-2272 Steve Watkins Thu, 10 Jan 2008 02:38:03 +0000 http://www.practicalenvironmentalist.com/eco-gadgets/dishwashers-energy-star-water-efficiency-and-the-environment-a-consumer-guide.htm#comment-2272 Commercial dishwashers often use the greywater from the last rinse cycle for the first cycle on the next load. I wonder if any home machines do this. Commercial dishwashers often use the greywater from the last rinse cycle for the first cycle on the next load. I wonder if any home machines do this.

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