While doing the dishes this past week, we realized with a little embarrassment what a ridiculous amount of cups we were washing up for the day. A glass from the bedroom, a glass from the living room, a couple from the kitchen... and all just for two people. And here we were wasting all this water to wash these multiple glasses when we could have just used one each for the whole day. So, here's an idea to cut down on wasted water (and time) washing dishes: pick a glass in the morning, mark it as yours, and use the same one all day...
In her book Eco-Friendly Families, Helen Coronato recommends sticking a clothespin on your glass marked with your name. This is a great solution for people with kids. Otherwise, when you're finished with the glass, put it in a predetermined location (next to the sink, on the counter by the toaster, etc) so that you'll know where to find it when you need it next, and you won't have to go searching around your house for it. It's an easy and simple way to leave a lighter footprint.
Image via Flickr member blmurch licensed under Creative Commons.
So every time you wanted a drink you've gotten a different glass? That seems counter intuitive unless you were going from coffee (or something similar) to water (or similar) and didn't want to have to keep refilling your mug...
I've always used one -two glasses a day. But it comes from my mom, who grew up in a LARGE family and that was their rule: one glass a day.
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view EmmieB's profile
I always do this at home and work, and I go a little mad whenever I visit my parents and my mom is always grabbing up my glasses and putting them into the dishwasher. I think that she is just used to when we were kids and left dirty and discarded items everywhere. I have started to remember to just move glasses to my bedroom when I am there to save her the confusion. She does seem to think that I will catch the plague by re-using a glass for my water over the course of a few days.
Since I share my apartment with only furry, four-legged roommates, this is pretty easy. I don't have to wonder if I was the one that used a glass unless I have guests. That isn't a frequent occurrence either.
view Erica in DC's profile
Finally! My obsession with using only one glass for the whole day has been proven a good thing! I gotta show my Mom, she'll never believe me!
view unseeneclipse's profile
My family used rubber bands to mark our glasses. They had the benefit of adapting to any type and size of drinking vessel. My sister and I loved to write our names on the thicker bands, thus making it even more personal.
Looking back on it, it was also a good way to remember to take the cup back to the kitchen at the end of the day since you had to have the rubber band for your next glass. I'm still a one-glass person, though my roommate sometimes thwarts that by "cleaning" when I'm not looking.
view Jesse Lou's profile
I think I'm missing something... how does it save water or energy to wash the same glass six times or so rather than washing six different glasses at the end of the day? I guess this concept is making the assumption that you'd drink the same liquid all day long? I don't think I'd want the same coffee/juice/tea/soda/wine/water glass all day to save a little water usage.
view LKmen's profile
I just can't use the same glass all day without at least *rinsing* it!
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view EWood's profile
I'm with LKmen, I tend to drink a variety of things throughout the day, and unless the last thing in the glass was water, it needs at minimum a rinse, if not a full wash. So in the end, I'm not "washing" any less whether I had one glass or a few.
view frzndaqiri's profile
I need to break my boyfriend of his (well-intentioned) habit of putting my water glass in the sink.
Maybe this seems gross but if I'm drinking orange juice and I want water, a quick cold water rinse after I'm done with my OJ will suffice. Even if there is still orange detrius floating about, it doesn't bother me. Generally though, I have one cup for water (I seldom drink other beverages) and a mug for tea.
view Centelleo's profile