The Dishwasher Debate

One of the most debatable topics in the environmental movement is a dishwasher vs hand washing your dishes. The Christmas tree and dishwashing are the two arguments that never seem to be settled amongst practicing environmentalists.

 Many questions surround the dishwasher does give you something to think about and question as far as which one is more effective environmentally.

 1) An American site claims that 90 percent of the dishwasher, which is an estimated amount according to the site, is made from recycled products. The site also uses the word “primarily” when discussing what products are recycled into the dishwasher. According to their estimates, that leaves an astounding ten percent not being recycled. When you use statistics you can calculate that percentage to mean that every ten people make one dishwasher to be thrown into the garbage.

 2) When creating the plastic in the first place it is toxic to make. I am not against recycling the product, but we must keep in mind when the product was first created, meaning the plastic itself the first time it was made is not a green product. The best way to view this would be that for every new plastic piece in the dishwasher about to be made is not green to make in the first place. The second round of recycling it is a green choice, but what about the first time?

 3) When calculating which is greener I find many focus on the water consumption over the use of double power. What I mean by double power is very simple. The water is heated in a dishwasher by the means of hydro power and the machine needs to move at the same time, so with that being said the hydro is being used twice. It is used once to heat the water, and once to move the machine. When we are doing dishes by hand, we use only one hydro source which is to heat the water only.

 This article should really solve which is greener in the long run. Every ten households that own a machine which is about to become garbage, out of those ten households one machine is left behind in parts that are not being recycled.

 New Zealand still takes dishwashers into their landfills. Not all countries are recycling the dishwasher or the parts. They are still filling up in the landfills and causing problems.

 My suggestion is wash by hand in a green soap, and let it air dry so you do not need to wash the cloths as frequently. I also advice to check all appliances and products you purchase to see the words “made only out of 100 percent recycled products.” Anything less is not entirely a green product.