Here’s something to keep in mind next time you wash the dishes: Using the dishwasher generally consumes less energy and water than washing dishes by hand.

To reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with dishwashers, avoid pre-rinsing and don’t use the “heated dry” setting. If you’re hand-washing dishes, you can cut emissions by as much as two-thirds if you wash them in a sink full of water instead of under running water.

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Editor’s Note: This poster was originally published on February 15, 2022.