With a disabled dishwasher I am reliving my preteen years and rediscovering the joys of hand washing dishes. It’s akin to the potato peeling thrills of yore. Lately many of my kitchen adventures have recalled my past life of indentured servitude but I draw the line at ironing. Hours of practice on my mother’s lace hankies left me convinced that wrinkles were not the evil she made them out to be.Washing dishes, however, has not been as arduous as I remember it. Perhaps the reason why lies with my help mate? My husband is certainly preferable company to my younger sisters or perhaps it’s the feeling that I’m doing something to help the environment and conserve water and energy. While the former is true, the latter is one of those eco-myths that needs to be snoped out.When the automatic dishwasher first became a kitchen staple rather than a luxury a case could have been made for the fact that water and electricity were being used rather too liberally. Today’s machines, however, come rated for energy and water usage and they are a far cry from the dishwasher my mom would hook up to the kitchen faucet, plug into a nearby wall socket and made so much noise that OSHA approved hearing protection should have come standard with it.Despite the debate, the truth is that hand washing dishes is not the water saver that using a dishwasher is although I suppose this can vary depend on one’s hand washing technique. Research has shown that there are significant water savings in using the current models of dishwashers.Water conservation does not stop with dish washing. There are many other simple things that can be done to help preserve this precious natural resource including:
- not letting the tap run while brushing your teeth
- investing in a low flow toilet
- replacing washers on dripping taps
- only running your dishwasher and washing machine with a full load
- showering as opposed to taking a bath
- keeping a pitcher of cold water in your fridge for drinking
- knowing where the main water shut-off is located in your home in case of a burst pipe
- not flushing cotton, kleenex or bugs (or dead fish) down the toilet as these things can just as easily by tossed in the trash and save the water
- washing fruit and veggies in a bowl instead of under a running tap
There is water to be saved outdoors too, now that the weather is warming. Some tips for conserving, and keeping that water bill low include:
- soaking plants and lawn once or twice a week during hot dry spells as opposed to sprinkling daily
- use mulch to keep away water stealing weeds and to keep soil cool and moist
- use the bucket and sponge method to wash your car
- consider collecting rain water runoff from your roof for watering your garden and plants
Although I am enjoying the quality time with my husband as we wait for our new (energy and water saving) dishwasher to arrive, I am sure we can find other venues for conversation and sharing after a day spent apart rather than with one of us up to our elbows in mucky water and the other with towel in hand.by Ann Bibby
