Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: water treatment and sanitation, etc.

[TR Ruddick (truddick]

Weighing in on a couple of points here, though my cohousing is only in the
early planning stages so I feel non-expert:

1) Water softening--if you're using potassium based softening salts, and
you're using much less detergent, then it seems to me you're having less
negative environmental impact.  If sodium chloride salts, then I don't know
if the reduction in detergents (and anti-lime compounds for the dishwasher,
etc.) would yield a net benefit or cost to the ecosystem.

2) As noted, home dishwashers sanitize with heat as well as do the
commercial models.  My current Kenmore finishes with dishes so hot that
they dry immediately if I open the door right after the cycle completes. 
What hasn't been mentioned is that dishwashing detergents generally contain
some fairly harsh bleaches (certain environmental impact there) which in
and of themselves will disinfect.  I think this is true even if you're
buying a "green" brand like Ecover or 7th Generation, though in my
experience the "green" varieties don't clean as well.  Hand-washing also
sanitizes if you use soap and allow the dish to air-dry.  The only
unsanitary standard dishwashing act is drying dishes with a cloth.

3)  While dishwashers and garbage disposals alike will grind food scraps
into little pieces and flush them into the sewage system, there is no
evidence that it will cause blockage.  In fact, it's preferable to putting
the scraps into the landfill since the food scraps then re-enter the food
chain instead of putrefying amidst the toxic remnants of cosmetic products
(although the best course overall certainly is to compost food scraps if
space permits).  Those with septic systems will want to avoid putting too
many food scraps into the tank, but they're usually the ones with the most
space for composting.

Overall, the tales I'm hearing here suggest that:

(a) Set it up with whatever equipment, but plan in advance so that the
equipment is accessible.  If you want silence, either get a quiet machine
or invest in soundproofing between kitchen and common room.  If you want
easy lifting, design counter space.  

(b) Multiple types of use suggest multiple types of machinery--like the
tales of the laundry rooms suggest.  To me it sounds like the best
cohousing kitchen would have an efficient commercial washer, set up so that
it was easy to operate, PLUS a home unit for small loads.  No?  


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