To consider ourselves “green” everything starts from how we behave in our home and our environment. In their own house, citizens have the full control of what they consume and how. Let’s start with the dishes; washing the dishes affects the environment because it consumes water, energy and requires the use of chemicals that pollute a lot.

First, the easiest change one can implement without feeling a “sacrifice” is made is to choose green cleaning products. Today large supermarket (Marinopoulos, AB …) offer Greek and foreign brands of organic cleaning products such as the well known brand MyPlanet. Regardless of the solution chosen (manually or with a washing machine), there is n alternative: tablets for dishwasher, rinse aid dishwasher, dish soap, etc. These certified[1] products do not contain any petrochemical detergents that are harmful to the environment and destroy ecosystems and for which the production process pollute the earth significantly. Certified detergents are less toxic, less polluting, and usually made using vegetable surfactants, natural aromas, etc. and ensure a production process respectful to the environment and the human beings. There are other alternatives, such as magnetic balls, wash balls or magnetic rings.

Also, if you wash the dishes manually, you can use natural sponges as the “Loofah” or biodegradable cellulose sponges from natural or manufactured microfiber cleaning wipes that help saving soap. Greece produces quite a lot of Loofah, which are sold in most

Natural Sponges loufah

pharmacies and bio shops. Specifically, products like cleaning wipes can easily be ordered via the internet on specific websites (www.ecofamily.gr, etc.). The ecological behavior does not stop only to products used but also on how you align the technique used with the volume of cleaning to perform. Depending on the number of people in the house, with the rate of washing and volume, you may consider buying a dishwasher. Today wash machines consume around 10 liters of water for each program while manually a household can reach up to 42 liters of water consumption. So if the volume is significant (more than 3 people approx) it will be advantageous to use a dishwasher (see how to choose the correct dishwasher), because first it will allow savings, water and energy, which means saving money, and because it will make life easier.

In conclusion, there are today many ways to wash the dishes more ecologically. Important to remember, during the “green behavior adoption process”, one needs to find the adapted way to do the things he used to, with a greener way, allowing him to combine savings and ecology.

Sources:

http://www.consoglobe.com/

http://www.ecofamily.gr/

http://www.myplanet.com.gr/