Comments on: The government’s in your bathroom — again http://beyondthesidewalks.countrysidemag.com/2010/07/30/the-governments-in-your-bathroom-%e2%80%94-again/ life in the country Thu, 09 Sep 2010 17:44:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jd http://beyondthesidewalks.countrysidemag.com/2010/07/30/the-governments-in-your-bathroom-%e2%80%94-again/comment-page-1/#comment-579 Jd Sun, 01 Aug 2010 20:36:24 +0000 http://beyondthesidewalks.countrysidemag.com/?p=193#comment-579 Many years ago (20?) Countryside had a great debate I still fondly refer to as The Dishwasher War. It went beyond water and energy—many people are clearly anti-dishwasher on general principles. I enjoy a good argument, and that was a doozy! As for water use, the study I see cited most often was conducted in Europe, several years ago, and gave dishwashers a hands-down win. HOWEVER, the study itself has generated much debate, both because European appliance standards are much higher than American standards, and because the hand-washing part of the study used enormous amounts of water — way more than most normal hand-washers say they use. There are, of course, right and wrong ways to wash dishes, both by machine and by hand. The important thing is to think about it, which most people probably don't do. Many years ago (20?) Countryside had a great debate I still fondly refer to as The Dishwasher War. It went beyond water and energy—many people are clearly anti-dishwasher on general principles. I enjoy a good argument, and that was a doozy!
As for water use, the study I see cited most often was conducted in Europe, several years ago, and gave dishwashers a hands-down win. HOWEVER, the study itself has generated much debate, both because European appliance standards are much higher than American standards, and because the hand-washing part of the study used enormous amounts of water — way more than most normal hand-washers say they use.
There are, of course, right and wrong ways to wash dishes, both by machine and by hand. The important thing is to think about it, which most people probably don’t do.

]]> By: Kathy in KY http://beyondthesidewalks.countrysidemag.com/2010/07/30/the-governments-in-your-bathroom-%e2%80%94-again/comment-page-1/#comment-571 Kathy in KY Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:26:00 +0000 http://beyondthesidewalks.countrysidemag.com/?p=193#comment-571 Hi Mr Belanger - your post today reminded me of when I was growing up, we just had a bathtub, and in fact my parents still don't have a shower. But they could tell by the amount of time the water was running for the bath, how much water we were using, and there would be that pounding on the other side of the wall from the kitchen into the bathroom, and we knew to turn off the water, and use what we had in the tub, and no more. I lived in town, and this was the late 60's/early 70's. My Dad was a milkman, and he and my Mom raised 6 kids on his pay, so they pinched pennies. It also reminded me of the fact that when my Mom did laundry, and was doing the towels and sheets that she would save the rinse water in one of the tubs, and then the washer would suck that water back in for the washing of the next load. So now I know that that was known as gray water. My parents grew up during the depression, and were great resource conservationists, and still are. I/we could learn alot from them. And I know when I move to the cabin without inside plumbing that I will not be taking a bath everyday - probably like you did when you were young, once a week, with sponge baths in between. Heck, I'm just hoping there's a tub in the cabin to take a bath in! Ha ha! Thanks for your blog post, you always get me thinking of what impact I'm having on this world. Take care, and see you next Friday, from KY. Hi Mr Belanger – your post today reminded me of when I was growing up, we just had a bathtub, and in fact my parents still don’t have a shower. But they could tell by the amount of time the water was running for the bath, how much water we were using, and there would be that pounding on the other side of the wall from the kitchen into the bathroom, and we knew to turn off the water, and use what we had in the tub, and no more. I lived in town, and this was the late 60’s/early 70’s. My Dad was a milkman, and he and my Mom raised 6 kids on his pay, so they pinched pennies. It also reminded me of the fact that when my Mom did laundry, and was doing the towels and sheets that she would save the rinse water in one of the tubs, and then the washer would suck that water back in for the washing of the next load. So now I know that that was known as gray water. My parents grew up during the depression, and were great resource conservationists, and still are. I/we could learn alot from them. And I know when I move to the cabin without inside plumbing that I will not be taking a bath everyday – probably like you did when you were young, once a week, with sponge baths in between. Heck, I’m just hoping there’s a tub in the cabin to take a bath in! Ha ha! Thanks for your blog post, you always get me thinking of what impact I’m having on this world. Take care, and see you next Friday, from KY.

]]> By: Nancy Minnesota Sunset http://beyondthesidewalks.countrysidemag.com/2010/07/30/the-governments-in-your-bathroom-%e2%80%94-again/comment-page-1/#comment-558 Nancy Minnesota Sunset Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:08:41 +0000 http://beyondthesidewalks.countrysidemag.com/?p=193#comment-558 " Not that it mattered much, because we didn’t have hot water, either. We did have a bathtub, and my mother heated water in a teakettle on the stove." Limiting hot water may be the answer. ;) (We lived over nine years with only wood heat but lasted only 6 months with no hot water heater. Even today I appreciate a hot shower or hot bath with water from the tap as a luxury.) Of course that would not solve the "flush problem". BTW, do you have any figures on dish washers verses hand washing dishes as pertains to water use? ” Not that it mattered much, because we didn’t have hot water, either. We did have a bathtub, and my mother heated water in a teakettle on the stove.”

Limiting hot water may be the answer. ;) (We lived over nine years with only wood heat but lasted only 6 months with no hot water heater. Even today I appreciate a hot shower or hot bath with water from the tap as a luxury.) Of course that would not solve the “flush problem”.

BTW, do you have any figures on dish washers verses hand washing dishes as pertains to water use?

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