Super Eco

Photo credit: jenny downing, flickr

Washing dishes in the dishwasher is generally accepted as the greenest way to get your dishes clean—but you may not be getting the same results if you're falling prey to these common eco-traps.

1. Your dishwasher was made in the 1990s. Older appliances gobble both water and energy. While newer, high-efficiency dishwashers use about 4 to 8 gallons of water, older models can guzzle up to 15. New dishwashers save energy, too, using 13-41% less than pre-1990 models.
2. Your dishwasher is too small. Small dishwashers get the job done with the least amount of energy and water, but if you have to run more than one cycle per day, you're probably increasing your environmental footprint, not reducing it.
3. Your dishwasher isn't Energy Star-rated. Energy Star-rated appliances must be between 10-30% more efficient than the minimum standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
4. You run the dishwasher without a full load. Wasted space, wasted water, wasted energy.
5. Your dishwasher is overloaded. If you've loaded your dishes in so tightly that water can't circulate freely, you'll end up with dirty dishes and a need to re-wash.
6. You run the dishwasher right after dinner. Wait until off-peak hours; depending on your power company, you could even get a cheaper energy rate.
7. You're using a detergent with phosphates. Phosphate runoff can cause algae blooms in waterways that lead to environmental dead zones. Try an  eco-friendly detergent.
8. Your dishwasher doesn't have a heat booster. Dishwashers that heat water even hotter allow you to turn down your water heater's thermostat and save energy overall.
9. You use the pre-rinse cycle. Why spend the water and energy when a quick swipe of a spatula gets the job done?
10. You don't pre-scrape. Pre-rinsing in the sink wastes water, but leaving food particles on plates can clog lines and produce goopy dishes.
11. You use a heated drying cycle. Let dishes air dry. If you're worried about spots, add some vinegar to the rinse cup.