91. Use the dishwasher.

Great. Use the dishwasher. Got it. 

But we need more details…

Like How? When? Who? With what? and finally… Why?

Use the dishwasher - How?

Can we Use the dishwasher to:

Steam Veggies? Wash your baseball hat? Clean your mouth guard? Shine your flip-flops? 

Pro-tip - don’t plug in your hairdryer and put it in the dishwasher. 

…Save that for the shower… (editor’s note: At least we didn’t recommend to glue your pizza…)

Use the dishwasher - When? 

Do we wait until all the dishes are dirty? After each use?  How about using the dishwasher in the middle of eating?  Think could be a great new special fun fad diet … think of all the calories not going into your stomach.

Use the dishwasher - Who?

Ummm…”hey kids, come to the kitchen! I have something really neat to show you!

Use the dishwasher - With what? 

Soap, water, spinning parts, mix in gusto, gumption and an ounce of Joy (insert P&G product placement here to see if they will fund this blog. - Don’t forget to delete this note.)

Use the dishwasher - Why?

Our society puts an amazing amount of pressure on people to conform to eating and drinking using clean dishes. The peer pressure is legit. Be prepared. Dishes and washing are a thing. 

To help you ‘Use the dishwasher’, here’s a simple 2-step process:

1. Create a kickstarter campaign to fund ‘Wet Cabinet’ dishwashers
2. Have them built and bask in the world changing phenomena. See how this invention will change the Future in the paragraph below:

Your Future You just took some dishes out of the future ‘Wet Cabinet’ dishwasher which is also the cabinet where you store dishes. These ‘Wet Cabinet’ dishwasher appliances will be coded ‘clean’ and ‘dirty’ with fun icons. When you are done eating from your dishes, just put them in the dirty cabinet where it will be washed and dried…and stored. You won’t require loading and unloading because the cabinets are the dishwashers. Above and/or below the sink and will all drain the same.  No more loading and unloading - until you’re ready to use your dishes. Voila!  Of course, you’ll want to make sure to store your dishwashing soap pellets in your dry, non-dishwashing machine cabinet.  

P.S. - It’s been reported that Corporate Housing Companies help people ‘Use the dishwasher’ by sneaking in properties while people are sleeping, deploying dishwasher elves to wash the dishes and employing garden gnomes to dry the dishes.  Corporate Housing companies usually don’t bother the tooth fairy for this because he’s usually on laundry duty.  

P.P.S - to answer all your ‘normal’ ‘dishwasher questions - like to “pre-wash or not” - here’s a definitive video (using a goPro). 

Why does this ‘Future You’ Series exist? What’s it about?  

1. Promote easy, quirky sustainable practices that are NOT preachy, or guilt-ridden and without a focus on the ‘saving the planet’ (hint: the planet is going to survive no matter what we do). 

2. A playful post of simple ways to sorta improve our lives, and the lives of those we love. Also improve our future lives… by taking playful action today. 

3. Still reading? Cool. We think you’re amazing and full of joyful zest. 

This series is based off ‘105 Simple Sustainable actions’ - from Stephane Omsanski’s article in Parade from 2021.

https://parade.com/1300935/stephanieosmanski/ways-reduce-carbon-emissions/

91. Use the dishwasher.

Wait—what?! Despite the fact that handwashing laundry is better for the environment, hand washing your dishes isn't. That's because dishwashers use a finite amount of water to clean whereas, when handwashing, you may leave the sink running.