Laziness Is Good for the Environment

Did anyone ever tell you to rinse off your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher? If so, you may have thought about it practically and wondered aloud, "What's the dishwasher for if I have to clean my plate first?" Well, now, you have another argument to add to your armamentarium--not washing your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher is actually better for the environment.

Today's dishwashers are powerful enough to get dishes clean as long as you knock off any excess food (into your compost pile of course). Just make sure you only run the dishwasher when it's full and only use about a tablespoon of soap. You'll end up saving money and energy, and energy conserved is a victory for the environment. For added savings, air dry (rather than heat dry) your dishes and wipe them down with a clean towel to avoid streaking.

Also, don't let anyone tell you that doing all your dishes by hand is more environmentally friendly than using a dishwasher. According to a study in Germany, a dishwasher uses half the energy, one-sixth of the water and less soap than hand-washing an identical set of dirty dishes.

So tonight when you finish dinner, relax and enjoy the comforts of modern technology with a clean conscience.