Washing dishes without wasting energy

Between staff use and meetings, the MELG building washes a lot of dishes. Here are some good tips to save water and energy in the process (and, please, take these home to use).

• Avoid Washing by Hand
  Studies are showing more and more that, when used to maximize energy-saving features, modern dishwashers can outperform all but the most frugal hand washers. Switching from hand washing to a dishwasher could potentially result in substantial water and energy savings.

• Scrape, Don’t Rinse
  Studies show that most people pre-rinse dishes before loading them into the dishwasher, even though dishwashers purchased within the last 5–10 years do a superb job of cleaning even heavily soiled dishes. If you find you must rinse dishes first, get in the habit of using cold water.

• Follow Manufacturer Instructions
  Completely fill the racks to optimize water and energy use, but allow proper water circulation for adequate cleaning.

• Wash Only Full Loads
  The dishwasher uses the same amount of water whether it’s half-full or completely full, so nothing will save more energy than waiting to run your dishwasher. If you find that it takes a day or two to get a full load, use the rinse and hold feature common on newer models. This will prevent build up of dried-on food while saving time and water compared to pre-rinsing each item. The rinse feature typically uses only 1 to 2 gallons of water.

• Use Energy-Saving Cycle Options
  Pay attention to the cycle options on your dishwasher and select the cycle that requires the least amount of energy for the job. Use the no-heat air-dry feature on your dishwasher if it has one.

• Turn Down the Water Heater Temperature
  Since the early 1990s, most dishwashers in the U.S. have been sold with built-in heaters to boost water temperature to 140–145°F, the temperature recommended by manufacturers for optimum dishwashing performance. The advantage to the booster heater is that you can turn down your water heater thermostat to 120°F (typically half-way between the “medium” and “low” settings).