ou might think that running a dishwasher uses more water and energy than doing dishes by hand... but you’d be wrong. Surprisingly, using a dishwasher uses less hot water than hand washing dishes, which makes sense when you consider how much you leave the sink running as you wash a giant pile of plates and realize just how efficient new dishwashers have become in the last few years. And you'll be saving energy that the water heater would be using to warm up all that water as well, so you'll save money on both energy costs and on your water company bill. Plus, you'll be doing less work yourself, which I know is everyone's favorite part of this environment friendly tip. So go ahead, be lazy and load up your dishwasher with your dirty plates, cups, and silverware... and you don't even have to feel guilty about it at all.