Use the Dishwasher

If you have a dishwasher, try to use it whenever possible.

A conventional dishwasher uses 9 gallons of water per load, on average, whereas washing and rinsing a load of dishes by hand uses about 20 gallons of water. And because 80 percent of the energy that goes into washing dishes is used to heat the water, dishwashers save energy as well.

If every household with a dishwasher eliminated two hand-washed loads per year by washing in the dishwasher instead, the total savings would equal roughly 1.2 billion gallons of water. That's enough to fill a gallon jug for each of the 1.2 billion people in the world who lack access to safe drinking water.

To maximize dishwashing efficiency, don't wash or rinse your dishes before placing them in the dishwasher. And always remember to wash full loads.

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