If you're anything like me, you absolutely hate doing the dishes.  There is nothing more miserable than standing in front of your sink with suds up to your elbows with your  fingers slowly doing a fine impersonation of a prune as you scrub furiously at a particularly nasty grease stain.  Of course, you wouldn't be stuck in this mess of bubbles and dirty water if you hadn't let your pile of dishes stack up ceiling high.  Then you throw a longing glance at one of those handy dishwashers to your right that you've avoided for months because you figured hey, you're only one person.  Using a dishwasher for one person is taking the easy way out and consumes way too much energy, right?

 
But, like me, you probably caved after one more week of this torture and decided to put that machine to good use, despite that guilty little pang you have whenever you spin the knob to 'heavy wash.'

 
However, an experiment done in Bonn University proved that you would be saving more water and energy by using your dishwasher instead of manually washing your dishes.  In hand-washing twelve place settings, an average of 103 liters of water was used, 2.5 kWh of energy was used and it all took about 79 minutes.  Converted, that's 27.21 gallons of water! The experiment used an A/A/A dishwasher, which only uses 15 liters of water (3 gallons) and 1.05 kWh of energy for a full load.¹

 
The standard dishwasher uses approximately 6 gallons of water per load, according to Energy Star.  That's still about 21 gallons less than it would take to wash the same amount manually, but switching to an energy efficient dishwasher can save up to 5,000 gallons of water a year.² Also, instead of rinsing your dishes off, just scrape the food off your dishware.  This helps save on water.

If you're looking to revamp your kitchen to a more environmentally friendly space, be sure to keep an eye out for energy efficient dishwashers.  With the amount of usable freshwater going on a decline, it's important to conserve as much water as possible.  If anything, it should at least keep your water bill from sky rocketing in the future.  Couple all of that with eco-friendly dishwashing soap, from brands like Seventh Generation , and you're set!

To me, the dishwasher is the most essential appliance in the kitchen, right up there with the refrigerator and the microwave.  I am, however, that kid in the family that was banned from the kitchen during the holidays for fear that my very presence would somehow ruin those delicious home cooked meals.  Even I, the girl who would make world class cooks shudder in horror at the results of my attempted experiments with cookbook recipes, recognize the importance of a kitchen in a home.  A considerable amount of time is spent in the kitchen on a daily basis, and if you're looking to make your kitchen more environmentally friendly, here are some tips you might want to consider.

 
Let's start with the ground up, literally.  Everybody knows that a kitchen should have an uncarpeted floor.  This is to logically prevent stains that will result in those spills bound to happen.  Luckily, in this day and age there are plenty of options for eco-friendly replacements for hardwood floors.  For example, bamboo floors are a reasonable alternative to hardwood floors.  They are durable and structurally reliable, and just as easy to clean as hardwood floors.  In fact, products made from bamboo are a great replacement for products made with wood.  Bamboo is fast growing and easily replaceable.  If you're not looking for a wood-like floor for your kitchen, consider recycled metal floors, which are made from 100% recycled aluminum or brass. Check out our national database for a variety of eco-friendly flooring options. 

 
Now that we've got the floor covered, counters would be the next step.  Like floors, there are many different types of environmentally friendly and sustainable countertop options.  By using recycled glass countertops instead of marble counters, you can help divert glass from entering landfills.  However, this is a little more expensive than other products.  Bamboo counters may be more reasonable, and if not that, there are counters made from recycled aluminum and even recycled paper.³

 
Those are just the basics, though.  The kitchen has a huge impact on the amount of energy a household uses due to the multitude of appliances.  The refrigerator, for example, consumes the most energy in the kitchen, more than any other appliance.  Energy Star qualified refrigerators use up to 40% less energy than the standard refrigerator sold in 2001.  Aside from replacing your electricity-hogging refrigerator with an energy efficient one, there are several tricks to keep your refrigerator running most efficiently.  Keep your refrigerator in the coolest part of your kitchen, as far away from your stove and oven and any heating vent as possible.  This will allow you to adjust the temperature in your refrigerator and use the least amount of energy possible.

 
When looking into stoves, consider looking away from the traditional gas or electric stoves.  There are other new options that are much more energy efficient.  The induction stove, for example, uses 90% of the energy produced, while gas burners use only 55% and electric ranges 65%.  The downside to this type of stove is that, since it is relatively new to the market, it tends to be pricier.  Also, you need specific cookware, and your kitchen must be wired for 220 volts.[1] 

 
What makes induction stoves more efficient is that it only heats your cookware, instead of turning your kitchen into an oven.  This is done through the use of electromagnetic technology.  Induction burners can also tell what it is heating, producing just the right amount of energy for the pan of your choice - which unfortunately cannot be copper or aluminum based.  Magnetic cookware, such as stainless steel and cast iron appliances, are necessary.[2]     

 
If you prefer to stick with the traditional stovetops, electric stovetops tend to be less energy consuming than gas stovetops, which lose a lot of their heat into their surrounding environment.  And because every stove needs a ventilation fan, especially gas stoves, look for the Energy Star approved ventilation systems, which can use up to 70% less energy than a standard ventilation fan.

 
If anything, when purchasing your appliances be sure to look for the Energy Star sticker to ensure you are buying the most energy efficient appliance on the market.  Also, check out the energy guide labels found on electric appliances.  The standard energy guide label is the bright yellow sticker with black writing found on all appliances.  This gives the estimated amount of energy used in a year, the range of energy used, and the estimated yearly cost.  The lower the number of kWh used a year, then, the more energy efficient the appliance is.  

 
General Electric even offers you a guide to show which products are most energy efficient.  These appliances are all Energy Star approved, and if you want to compare the amount of energy each appliance uses, GE presents the Energy Guide label of every appliance.

Since we started with the floor, we'll end with the ceiling... remember to replace your old incandescent light bulbs with CFLs!

 
I might be that girl who was permanently banned from the kitchen growing up, but a warm, comfortable, and environmentally friendly kitchen is what every home needs - even if it is just a room to keep your microwave in.

 
Sources referred to in other parts of the article

¹ Bonn University.  < http://www.landtechnik.uni-bonn.de/ifl_research/ifl_research_project.php?sec=HT&no=1>

² "Energy Star" <http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home.index>

³ Sunset Magazine.  "Sunset: Living in the West."  Eco-Friendly Kitchen Counters.  2004-2007.  < http://www.sunset.com/sunset/home/article/0,20633,1576733,00.html>

[1] "Eartheasy." Ideas for Environmentally Sustainable Living. <http://www.eartheasy.com/article_induction_cooking.htm>

[1] Consumer Search.  Cooktops: Best Induction Cooktop, Gas Cooktop, Electric Cooktop.  2007. <http://www.consumersearch.com/www/kitchen/cooktops/review.html>