Photo Credit: Brooke Raymond According to researchers who are paid to study such things, a load of dishes cleaned in a dishwasher uses 37 percent LESS water than washing dishes by hand! However, if you fill up one side of the sink with soapy water and the other side with rinse water - and if you don't let the faucet run - you'll use half as much water as a dishwasher does. Doing the dishes this way can save enough water for a five-minute shower! If you do use a dishwasher, it also conserves energy and water if you wait until you have a completely full dishwasher to run it (instead of a partly filled dishwasher). This way you are getting the biggest bang for your buck of running it...one load of a full dishwasher uses less energy and water as running two loads of a half-full dishwasher. Also, many dishwashers now have an "economy" cycle option. So if your dishwasher has this option, give it a whirl. Use it and save! Related Topics:

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