Hmmm. All this dishwasher talk has me thinking. I read something in the Union of Concerned Scientist's Consumers guide to effective environmental choices that sometimes doing dishes in the dishwasher is more water efficient than doing them by hand. I remember being shocked by that, as well as by their suggestion that using a microwave is the most energy efficient way to cook.
Being kind of a green geek, that book inspired me to buy a super high efficiency dishwasher (we had the 1970s one that came with our house, which we used as a drying rack) and the buy a microwave. Of course, being a frugal geek, I bought a Bosch dishwasher at a scratch and dent place and saved $500 and I bought the microwave of my dreams after it went on clearance!!
Since both have entered our kitchen I haven't noticed a significant change in our water or energy bill. Maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention?
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