Old habits die hard

Original post:  June 10, 2015

Experience is a very good teacher. Unfortunately, sometimes we can overlearn our lessons.

When I was younger, my mother always told me that it was best to let my cuts form scabs. Once I was hired into the Kendall company, I learned that the old ways were actually based on myths. We should cover our wounds because it allows our bodies to heal faster.

As new evidence arises, we ought to adapt and change our ways. Still, that can be extremely difficult. After all, we lived through the previous experience. In this article about dishwashing, many of the earliest users of dishwashers only remember the weak and wasteful models that they grew up with. They may not realize how powerful and efficient the new models are. As a result, they either shun dishwashers entirely or else rinse off each plate prior to placing them in the dishwasher. Both practices can actually be more wasteful!

Here are some interesting facts from the article:

“In order to wash the same amount of dishes that can fit in a single load of a full size dishwasher and use less water, you would need to be able to wash eight full place settings and still limit the total amount of time that the faucet was running to less than two minutes,” he said.

“Studies are showing more and more that, when used to maximize energy-saving features, modern dishwashers can outperform all but the most frugal hand washers,” adds the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

Here is a link to the full article:  Why you shouldn’t wash your dishes by hand - The Washington Post