Dishwashers Help Both the Environment and Women!

I use a dishwasher - typically twice a week. More when I have extra visitors. It uses power but gives me time to do other useful things and uses less hot water because it is only twice a week. I did the experiment when we lived in a rural area with no water supply other than our low rainfall. I measured the water used washing by hand, including the time taken for hot water to arrive hot, thus wasting both water and heating on the frequent short washes. My results sent me straight out to buy a dishwasher. OK this is a value judgment but sensibly used, a dishwasher saves!

OK, here comes the "clincher" argument! What about the chemicals!. I use a minimal amount of as low impact chemical as possible for use in both the sink and the machine. I do not see a lot of difference. I have a relative with a built in dishwasher in his home, who refuses to allow it to be used and he objects to me using mine. I have heard the arguments!

When it comes to clothes, think about your washing machine and next time you replace it look for one with good energy ratings. If you can afford it, I suggest choosing one of those build to comply with the European Union's long life and recycling requirements to reduce the waste of embodied energy in the machine. My washing machine is Swedish and going strong after 18 years. The same comment applies to dishwashers.

Why use hot water for washing. Cold or lukewarm is just as effective. The only exception I can think of is where there are asthmatics in the house with dust mite allergies, then a 60oC wash for the bedding to be sure to kill the mites but back to cold for the rest of the wash.

Air-dry the clothes unless it is very wet. Even small apartments have somewhere to put a drying rack and I dry sheets on poles across the laundry from the top of the door to the cupboard because the strata rules prohibit them being hung outside. This works well.

How do you heat your water? Gas and Solar are the most energy efficient.

The big ticket issues here are water temperature for washing and use of a dryer.

Jean Cannon is an enviro-entrepreneur -both a scientist and a business person and has been both for over 20 years.

So if you are tired and confused by all the hype about global warming, climate change and the need to reduce our carbon emissions and you just want to look at the reality of what is happening and how it affects you in your business and your life, get my Free Report "Getting Past The Hype To Look At Reality" from http://www.carbonsteps.com