04 Scrape, Don't Rinse
From: Pat Maxwell
Series: November 2006 - Isla Earth Radio Series
Length: 01:34
- Playing
- 04 Scrape, Don't Rinse
- From
- Pat Maxwell
Here?s a surprise: An efficient automatic dishwasher will use less water than hand-washing those same dishes.
Today?s dishwashers can handle un-rinsed dishes once you?ve scraped excess food into the garbage, garbage disposal, or best choice, the compost bucket.
According to tests by Consumer Reports, newer machines use between three-and-a-half to 12 gallons of water per load ? much less than the 20 gallons you use by hand-rinsing and hand-washing. That saves about 6,500 gallons per household per year.
To save even more, avoid running the machine with anything less than a full load. If you don?t like leaving dishes unwashed, run the rinse-and-hold cycle that uses only about two gallons of water ? then wait for a full load.
Load smart. Place the soiled side of dishes toward the center of the machine for better exposure to the spray.
And, be sure to use phosphate-free enzyme detergents that won?t hurt the environment by promoting algae growth.
Also in the November 2006 - Isla Earth Radio Series series
01 The Green Reaper
(01:33)
From: Pat Maxwell
Every November 2nd, Mexicans celebrate those who have died with Day of the Dead festivities...
02 Medical Mysteries from the Deep
(01:34)
From: Pat Maxwell
Plants and animals in the ocean that might yield treatments for diseases
03 Fog Catchers in the Sky
(01:34)
From: Pat Maxwell
Chilean researchers devised a plan to capture water from the thick fog that rolled in daily from the sea.
05 Leaves of Three...
(01:34)
From: Pat Maxwell
Scientists say that carbon dioxide, a major contributor to global warming, is actually making poison ivy grow larger and more toxic.
06 An Eco-Friendly Auto Club
(01:34)
From: Pat Maxwell
Planning your next vacation just got a lot greener.
07 Keeping Plastic Out of the Ocean
(01:34)
From: Pat Maxwell
Many kinds of plastic are forever, or nearly so.
08 Deconstruction Preserves Building Materials
(01:34)
From: Pat Maxwell
Today, there?s a new trend in the building industry called ?deconstruction.?
09 What Does Organic Mean?
(01:34)
From: Pat Maxwell
When you?re shopping for food, how do you know if it?s really organic?
10 There's Genes in That Dirt
(01:34)
From: Pat Maxwell
Biologists who try to measure Earth?s genetic diversity have one more place to look: the dirt under our feet.
11 Heating With The Sun
(01:34)
From: Pat Maxwell
Passive solar heating is a way to warm a living space with the heat of the Sun and the natural movement of heat and air.
Related Pieces
Piece Description
Here?s a surprise: An efficient automatic dishwasher will use less water than hand-washing those same dishes. Today?s dishwashers can handle un-rinsed dishes once you?ve scraped excess food into the garbage, garbage disposal, or best choice, the compost bucket. According to tests by Consumer Reports, newer machines use between three-and-a-half to 12 gallons of water per load ? much less than the 20 gallons you use by hand-rinsing and hand-washing. That saves about 6,500 gallons per household per year. To save even more, avoid running the machine with anything less than a full load. If you don?t like leaving dishes unwashed, run the rinse-and-hold cycle that uses only about two gallons of water ? then wait for a full load. Load smart. Place the soiled side of dishes toward the center of the machine for better exposure to the spray. And, be sure to use phosphate-free enzyme detergents that won?t hurt the environment by promoting algae growth.
Related Website
