CONCLUSION: Variables in types of dishwashers, manner in which hand washing is done - lead to a draw in many cases. Each case is really different, hand washing while keeping the water running is going to use more water than a dishwasher. If you are conservative and wash dishes in a sink (or a 4 qt pot like I do at current) full of soapy water, you could be using less water than your dishwasher.
*Not covered in any of the articles that I researched to compose this thread - From hand washing, reuse the water (commonly called greywater) by applying it to your yard/garden. Make sure that you are using environmentally friend dish soap. http://www.ukqna.com/garden/1369-2-home-ukqna.html
Many factors must be taken into consideration when determining between the two options, including how often you are washing dishes by hand, your hot water tank efficiency, whether you prerinse the dishes before loading them into the dishwasher, whether you are running a full load, whether your dishwasher itself is sustainable (or more so than most) and whether you are using the heated dry option on your dishwasher. And we can't forget what time of day you are running your dishwasher.
Energy/water usage aside - dishwashers are convenient in our busy lives and let us get on with life instead of being tied up at the sink. Money vs time vs convenience. We as consumers can make good choices with the type of dishwasher and how we use it. There is also the part that dishwashers sterilize better.
(Semi-)CONCLUSION:
Although comparing hand washing and dish washing is difficult, I am sure we can agree on several things to stay more efficient and more eco-friendly. If you do use the dishwasher, make sure you:
*Not covered in any of the articles that I researched to compose this thread - From hand washing, reuse the water (commonly called greywater) by applying it to your yard/garden. Make sure that you are using environmentally friend dish soap. http://www.ukqna.com/garden/1369-2-home-ukqna.html
Many factors must be taken into consideration when determining between the two options, including how often you are washing dishes by hand, your hot water tank efficiency, whether you prerinse the dishes before loading them into the dishwasher, whether you are running a full load, whether your dishwasher itself is sustainable (or more so than most) and whether you are using the heated dry option on your dishwasher. And we can't forget what time of day you are running your dishwasher.
Energy/water usage aside - dishwashers are convenient in our busy lives and let us get on with life instead of being tied up at the sink. Money vs time vs convenience. We as consumers can make good choices with the type of dishwasher and how we use it. There is also the part that dishwashers sterilize better.
(Semi-)CONCLUSION:
Although comparing hand washing and dish washing is difficult, I am sure we can agree on several things to stay more efficient and more eco-friendly. If you do use the dishwasher, make sure you:
- Always run a full load
- Skip the heated dry option and air-dry dishes by selecting the air-dry setting or opening your dishwasher's door instead of using the heat-dry cycle.
- Forgo needless pre-rinsing dishes before loading them in your dishwasher to save water
- Run the dishwasher when energy rates are lower (at night/early am)
- Try to upgrade to a more efficient model (if you have not already)
Just try and use less. Try using fewer items in general, such as reusing your cups throughout the day or wiping breadcrumbs off the plate that only carried a sandwich and popping it back in the cabinet.
***Here are some good arguments for both cases:
WINNER: HAND WASHING
http://ezinearticles.com/?Dishwasher-Vs-Hand-Washing---The-Green-Experiment&id=4015922
The Experiment
Several speculations have been previously noted regarding the efficiency of dish washing vs. hand washing. A study was conducted in Germany regarding the efficiency of both practices, which concluded that dish washing was in fact, the most efficient. Now, who exactly funded this experiment has never been disclosed. Could it have been a household appliance manufacturer? Many experiments are sometimes conducted to purposely skew in a specific direction. I decided it was time to do my own experiment and find out once and for all which of the two dish washing practices is the real deal.
To conduct this real life experiment I spent exactly one month washing all my dishes by hand and one full month running the dishwasher. I chose the month of February and March, which average similar temperatures in South Florida. I maintained my air conditioning system at a temperature of 76 degrees Fahrenheit throughout both months, and tried as hard as possible to eat-out or order in the same amount of times both months. Of course, there are definite inconsistencies in such a real-life experiment, such as how long you shower, how often you flush the toilet, the outside temperature, etc... but, my family and I just continued to go on about our lives exactly the same. The only difference was our dish washing ritual. Oh, and of course, February did have 28 days, while March had 30. The dishwasher used for this experiment is a Bosch Integra 300 series. This machine is about 5 years old and has the Energy Star qualification (Energy Star is awarded to those dishwashers who do not exceed 5.8 gallons of water per run).
Practices used for both methods of dish washing:
Dishwasher:
• Run it only when it is completely filled to its maximum capacity
• Keep rinsing to a minimal, just rinse the excess scraps. You defeat the purpose of using the dishwasher if you're spending gallons of water just rinsing your dishes.
• Rinse first... turn off the faucet... and then place in dishwasher (I have often seen people loading the dishwasher while the faucet is running full force just to rinse a fork).
Hand-Washing:
• First, wet all the dishes rapidly and turn OFF the faucet
• Using a sponge, soap all the dishes, glasses, etc... get a little more water to wet sponge, if needed, and turn off faucet again.
• After all dishes have been soaped, rinse them off and set them in dish drainer.
• Faucet does not have to be at full force and it is not necessary to wash the dishes with burning hot water. Turn off faucet often, while placing dishes in rack.
The Conclusion
Ironically, my experiment proved that responsible hand washing was the winner. During the month of February, when I washed all dishes by hand the electric reading was Kwh 19,973, while in March, when I strictly used the dishwasher responsibly the electric reading was Kwh 22,294. I saved $16.55 in the electric bill in February. The water bill showed a usage of 3,142 gallons in the month of February and 3,105 in the month of March. In conclusion, there was a very small significance in water usage when comparing both practices but a slightly higher significance in electric consumption. Personally, I wash my dishes by hand most days, but do still enjoy the convenience of my dishwasher on those days that I'm feeling a bit tired. Although, the results may not seem very alarming, I do want to emphasize that when thousands of people are responsible in the simple household tasks it does make an impact.
WINNER: DISHWASHER
http://www.greenyour.com/home/kitchen-cooking/dishwashing/tips/run-your-dishwasher-instead-of-hand-washing-dishes
Run your dishwasher instead of hand-washing dishes
Hand-washing dishes often results in several gallons of water running down the drain each day. Running your dishwasher instead of hand-washing dishes can help reduce your water usage by about 35 percent.
How to save more water and energy when using your dishwasher
Yes, you can be an eco-friendly dishwasher by using your automatic dish washing machine! So boost your dish washing efficiency with these energy- and water-saving ideas:
1. Run your dishwasher only when it’s full to save up to 400 gallons of water per month.
2. Air-dry dishes by selecting the air-dry setting or opening your dishwasher's door instead of using the heat-dry cycle. This can cut your dishwasher’s energy use by 15 percent to 50 percent.
3. Forgo pre-rinsing dishes before loading them in your dishwasher to save up to 25 gallons per load.
Want to save even more by using your dishwasher? Replace your old dishwasher with an ENERGY STAR dishwasher. These dishwashers are at least 41 percent more efficient than minimum Federal energy consumption standards. Not only do they use an average of 1,000 fewer gallons of water per year, but they also use significantly less electricity, mainly by heating water more efficiently.
Look for a dishwasher with a built-in hot water booster to bring additional energy savings. This raises the water temperature inside the dishwasher to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (recommended for optimal cleaning), allowing the main household water heater to be turned down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or less. For every 10 degrees a water heater's thermostat is lowered, the water-heating bill drops by up to 13 percent.
Running your dishwasher instead of hand-washing dishes helps you go green because…
* It uses significantly less water, particularly if it's fully loaded. By contrast, hand-washing often means the faucet runs continuously, allowing gallons of water to pour down the drain. Water use is even higher if dishes are hand-washed multiple times per day.
On average, hand washing dishes uses significantly more water because most people tend to leave the faucet running or wash dishes several times a day. Running a dishwasher fully loaded, particularly if dishes aren’t pre-rinsed, uses about 35 percent less water than washing dishes by hand.
One study by researchers at the University of Bonn in Germany found that hand-washing dishes uses between five and 86 gallons of water compared to four to five gallons for the average European dishwasher. Americans didn't participate in the study, but statistics show the average US dishwasher uses nine to 12 gallons per load (less for energy-efficient models) versus up to 20 gallons for hand-washing. With American households running a dishwasher only four or five times a week, on average, that represents a considerable savings over washing by hand, particularly when dishes are hand-washed once or more a day.
The only time that hand-washing dishes uses less water than a dishwasher is when a dishpan or sink basin is filled and no additional water is run. This method consumes about half of what a dishwasher uses per load.
Built In Dishwashers vs. Hand Washing: Which is Greener?
***Here are some good arguments for both cases:
WINNER: HAND WASHING
http://ezinearticles.com/?Dishwasher-Vs-Hand-Washing---The-Green-Experiment&id=4015922
The Experiment
Several speculations have been previously noted regarding the efficiency of dish washing vs. hand washing. A study was conducted in Germany regarding the efficiency of both practices, which concluded that dish washing was in fact, the most efficient. Now, who exactly funded this experiment has never been disclosed. Could it have been a household appliance manufacturer? Many experiments are sometimes conducted to purposely skew in a specific direction. I decided it was time to do my own experiment and find out once and for all which of the two dish washing practices is the real deal.
To conduct this real life experiment I spent exactly one month washing all my dishes by hand and one full month running the dishwasher. I chose the month of February and March, which average similar temperatures in South Florida. I maintained my air conditioning system at a temperature of 76 degrees Fahrenheit throughout both months, and tried as hard as possible to eat-out or order in the same amount of times both months. Of course, there are definite inconsistencies in such a real-life experiment, such as how long you shower, how often you flush the toilet, the outside temperature, etc... but, my family and I just continued to go on about our lives exactly the same. The only difference was our dish washing ritual. Oh, and of course, February did have 28 days, while March had 30. The dishwasher used for this experiment is a Bosch Integra 300 series. This machine is about 5 years old and has the Energy Star qualification (Energy Star is awarded to those dishwashers who do not exceed 5.8 gallons of water per run).
Practices used for both methods of dish washing:
Dishwasher:
• Run it only when it is completely filled to its maximum capacity
• Keep rinsing to a minimal, just rinse the excess scraps. You defeat the purpose of using the dishwasher if you're spending gallons of water just rinsing your dishes.
• Rinse first... turn off the faucet... and then place in dishwasher (I have often seen people loading the dishwasher while the faucet is running full force just to rinse a fork).
Hand-Washing:
• First, wet all the dishes rapidly and turn OFF the faucet
• Using a sponge, soap all the dishes, glasses, etc... get a little more water to wet sponge, if needed, and turn off faucet again.
• After all dishes have been soaped, rinse them off and set them in dish drainer.
• Faucet does not have to be at full force and it is not necessary to wash the dishes with burning hot water. Turn off faucet often, while placing dishes in rack.
The Conclusion
Ironically, my experiment proved that responsible hand washing was the winner. During the month of February, when I washed all dishes by hand the electric reading was Kwh 19,973, while in March, when I strictly used the dishwasher responsibly the electric reading was Kwh 22,294. I saved $16.55 in the electric bill in February. The water bill showed a usage of 3,142 gallons in the month of February and 3,105 in the month of March. In conclusion, there was a very small significance in water usage when comparing both practices but a slightly higher significance in electric consumption. Personally, I wash my dishes by hand most days, but do still enjoy the convenience of my dishwasher on those days that I'm feeling a bit tired. Although, the results may not seem very alarming, I do want to emphasize that when thousands of people are responsible in the simple household tasks it does make an impact.
WINNER: DISHWASHER
http://www.greenyour.com/home/kitchen-cooking/dishwashing/tips/run-your-dishwasher-instead-of-hand-washing-dishes
Run your dishwasher instead of hand-washing dishes
Hand-washing dishes often results in several gallons of water running down the drain each day. Running your dishwasher instead of hand-washing dishes can help reduce your water usage by about 35 percent.
How to save more water and energy when using your dishwasher
Yes, you can be an eco-friendly dishwasher by using your automatic dish washing machine! So boost your dish washing efficiency with these energy- and water-saving ideas:
1. Run your dishwasher only when it’s full to save up to 400 gallons of water per month.
2. Air-dry dishes by selecting the air-dry setting or opening your dishwasher's door instead of using the heat-dry cycle. This can cut your dishwasher’s energy use by 15 percent to 50 percent.
3. Forgo pre-rinsing dishes before loading them in your dishwasher to save up to 25 gallons per load.
Want to save even more by using your dishwasher? Replace your old dishwasher with an ENERGY STAR dishwasher. These dishwashers are at least 41 percent more efficient than minimum Federal energy consumption standards. Not only do they use an average of 1,000 fewer gallons of water per year, but they also use significantly less electricity, mainly by heating water more efficiently.
Look for a dishwasher with a built-in hot water booster to bring additional energy savings. This raises the water temperature inside the dishwasher to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (recommended for optimal cleaning), allowing the main household water heater to be turned down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or less. For every 10 degrees a water heater's thermostat is lowered, the water-heating bill drops by up to 13 percent.
Running your dishwasher instead of hand-washing dishes helps you go green because…
* It uses significantly less water, particularly if it's fully loaded. By contrast, hand-washing often means the faucet runs continuously, allowing gallons of water to pour down the drain. Water use is even higher if dishes are hand-washed multiple times per day.
On average, hand washing dishes uses significantly more water because most people tend to leave the faucet running or wash dishes several times a day. Running a dishwasher fully loaded, particularly if dishes aren’t pre-rinsed, uses about 35 percent less water than washing dishes by hand.
One study by researchers at the University of Bonn in Germany found that hand-washing dishes uses between five and 86 gallons of water compared to four to five gallons for the average European dishwasher. Americans didn't participate in the study, but statistics show the average US dishwasher uses nine to 12 gallons per load (less for energy-efficient models) versus up to 20 gallons for hand-washing. With American households running a dishwasher only four or five times a week, on average, that represents a considerable savings over washing by hand, particularly when dishes are hand-washed once or more a day.
The only time that hand-washing dishes uses less water than a dishwasher is when a dishpan or sink basin is filled and no additional water is run. This method consumes about half of what a dishwasher uses per load.
Built In Dishwashers vs. Hand Washing: Which is Greener?
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