Choosing a dishwasher

A recent article from Green Is Sexy outlined a few things sustainability-minded buyers should look for when buying a dishwasher. I've added some links to make these tips more useful. Pay special attention to the last one! Here's why the article has to say:

1) Seek out the star. ENERGY STAR is a government-backed program that helps consumers identify the most energy-efficient products.

2) Compare wash cycle times - the shorter the better.

3) Try to avoid heated dry - air drying is just as good, greener and costs less. Some machines have the option of turning it off which is good but others leave it off the panel completely which is even better.

If you’re not a first time buyer make sure your old machine gets another life. Most dishwashers are made of recycled steel already so add yours to the heap. Check with the installers of the new one to see if they will recycle the old - they usually do.

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Consumer Reports hosts a "Greener Choices" website now. If you normally consult buyer's guides like Consumer Reports before major purchases, consider GreenerChoices.org. In this case, here is their Green Buying Guide for Dishwashers (published 9/08).

Dish Soap

I know that the people who read my blog come from a lot of different places in their eco journeys. Some are pretty far along, making their own shampoos and cleaners at home and commuting to work on their bikes. Others are, let's face it, skeptical of the changes that they have to make as we face "peak everything." Most of us are, of course, somewhere in the middle.

So, for those of you who are too far along to need anyone to talk you out of your chemical-laden brands that you've become attached to, skip ahead to a different article. For those of you who are at the beginning of your journey still, I bring you scientific proof that these changes are going to be ok. You will survive. You will not be making sacrifices in cleanliness, utility, or happiness. Promise.

The following article is from the TreeHugger blog. It’s about how environmentally-friendly dishwashing soap works just as well as the chemical-laden brands you’re used to!

“Earth Friendly Product's 'New Wave High-Performance Auto Dishwasher Gel' held its own against Cascade in an independent study showing that these phosphate-free cleaners can perform just as well as conventional cleaners. Most cleaners give the impression that they add enough toxic chemicals to make them ultra strong and therefore able to obliterate any germ they come in contact with. Now its becoming more apparent that not only do we not need toxic chemicals near our family and in our homes, but they also don't necessarily provide any additional benefit.

“The test looked at ph-levels, solubility and anti-suds formation. Both solutions performed equally well when it came to removing dirt and grime from dishes. Then dishes were inspected for spotting and filming and both received high scores. Cascade had a higher ph-level: 11 compared with a 7 for New Wave (their site states that the ph level is 4-5). Plates and bowls were covered with egg yolks, buttermilk, tomato juice, butter, powdered milk, and spaghetti sauce and then run through a dishwasher.

“Conventional dishwashing detergents can contain phosphates, 1.4 dioxane, chlorine bleach, formaldehyde and caustics. Several states, including Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Vermont and Washington all have legislation banning phosphates in products by 2010, and Massachusetts and Michigan (along with Canada) are also considering similar legislation.

“The Wave High Performance Auto Dishwasher Gel dish detergent is formaldehyde/caustic/chlorine-free, and is plant-based and 100% biodegradable. Earth Friendly Products Co. has four manufacturing facilities strategically spread throughout the US to reduce the distance traveled from production to the customer. The company also has what it calls their 'Freedom List' which is a list of all of the items that their products do not contain. The line has also won several awards, including Natural Home Magazine's 'Readers Choice Award' for Best Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products and the 2007 PETA Proggy Award for Best Line of Cruelty-Free Household Products.”

Disposable Dinnerware

Having a huge party and can't get enough real plates, bowls, and/or platters for the crowd? Consider VerTerra's "organic and compostable dinnerware make of fallen leaves."

The website says of its dinnerware, "Each piece is made from 100% renewable and compostable plant matter and water. No chemicals, waxes or dyes, like those found in disposable paper and plastic options. No harmful toxins that can leach into your food. No worrying. It’s also the most durable and versatile single-use product available—use it to reheat n the microwave, bake in the oven, or cool in the fridge."

Furthermore, you don't have to worry about human rights violations when it come to these products. "VerTerra products are made in South Asia, where our employees receive fair wages in safe working conditions and are provided access to healthcare. Our production process is simple and transparent: after collecting fallen leaves, we apply steam, heat and pressure to transform the leaves into durable products that will naturally biodegrade in 2 months."

Easy to order online. At less than $1 per piece, you can't afford not to be green.

Dishes

Remember to take care of the water when you're doing housework, too!

We use "Seventh Generation" liquid dish soap for when we wash dishes by hand. It comes in a fragrance-free version or a handful of soft, natural scents. We're currently using the "Lavender Floral and Mint" scented soap. I love the light, fresh scent of the mint in it.

For the dishwasher (which can be just as water-efficient or even more so than washing by hand if you run only full loads and use basic settings), we also currently use Seventh Generation, namely the "Lemon" scented automatic dishwasher gel.

It's important that you choose your next cleaners and soaps to be completely biodegradable. Many cleaning products on the market contain phosphates, which get into surface water and causes imbalances in aquatic plant life-cycles. For a fairly thorough scientific article about phosphates, read this.

We like Seventh Generation brand because it is affordable and really easy to find. Here in Melbourne, FL, you can find Seventh Generation brand soaps and cleaners at any Publix grocery store, as well as Paradise Health and Nutrition (at the intersection of Minton and Palm Bay Road).

The story behind the name of the Seventh Generation brand is really sweet, too. The name comes from the Great Law of the Iroquois Confederacy, part of which states, "In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations." Most of us can think only as far as grandkids (and that may well be stretching it!), so thinking about the impact of our actions and choices on the next seven generations is a real challenge. However, it is a challenge we should all take upon ourselves on a daily basis.

To learn more about Seventh Generation and score some coupons, check out their website.

We have recently picked up some other phosphate-free cleaners and soaps lately and will let you know how those compare to Seventh Generation.

Image from www.seventhgeneration.com

Water recycling

This blog, of course, is not only about gardening. That just happens to be my current pet project. This blog is about striving to live sustainably all-around in the environmentally-unsupportive environment of suburbia. In that spirit, the next few posts will be about things we have already implemented to make our household a little more "green."

The first is water recycling on a very small, low-tech scale. We felt guilty about having to let our shower run while the water warms up, even with our low flow shower head. So we had a small brainstorm and decided to tote a 5-gallon bucket into the shower with us. We direct the showerhead to fill the bucket while the water is still running cold. By the time the bucket is 3/4 full, the water is warm enough for a comfy shower.

Of course, I can't quite ignore gardening entirely in this post though. We choose to use our collected shower water in our garden to help allay the unforgiving heat and sun of the Florida summer (or any season here, really). Ben waters in the mornings, when less evaporation occurs than during the day. [Mornings are better than evenings for watering vegetable plants because the sun dries any water that ended up on the plants' leaves. Leaves left wet are extremely vulnerable to plant diseases, especially in humid climates.]

But you don't have to have a proper garden to use this method of water recycling. We also use the water on our indoor houseplants. You could also use it on your suffering lawn during the summers. Because the water is fresh and clean, you could also use it to soak dishes or wash clothes by hand. Or pour it into your pets' bowls! The possibilities for an extra five or ten gallons of clean water around your house are quite numerous, even if you have no plants at all.