Dishwashing Energy Science Fair Projects

Hypthesis
Washing dishes in a fully loaded dishwasher uses less water than by washing your dishes by hand.

Materials Needed

Procedure

1. Wash all your dishes, pots, silverware and other utensils for every meal and snack for one month by hand. You need to decide whether or not you are going to keep the water running while washing the dishes or if you are going to put all the dishes in a container that has soapy water in it.

If you use the container, put the dishes in a 2nd container after washing them with soap and rise them all at once with the faucet so you don't keep on running your water. I would not suggest rinsing the dishes in a container because after a will the water will get dirty and you are not really cleaning your dishes.

2. Wash your dishes, pots, silverware and other utensils in the dishwasher for one month. Make sure that you fill your dishwasher to full capacity. Use the "select energy saver" if you're dishwasher has one.
3. Compare both water bills, one for the month you washed all dishes by hand, the other when you washed the dishes in the dishwasher. Make a comparison.

NOTE: It is important that in both months that the experiment takes place when the use of your water for the rest of the household stays as consistant as possible. For instance, you do not want to compare a water bill from when you were not watering your grass to a month when you water your grass.

You can find other science fair projects about conservation here.

Solar House	Fuel Cell Car	PicoTurbine Windmill	SCG-125 Snap Circuits Green Alternative Energy
Ages 12 thru High School	Ages 12 thru High School	Age 10 thru college	Ages 8 and up