Dishwasher anyone?

Wow. Dishes in cold water I'm impressed!

'Green-wise' sounds like your doing about as good as is possible.

For me, however, I am wishing so badly for a Bosch, they are AMAZING! They have a 1/2 rack option that uses 1.5 gallons, you don't have to rinse and the food collects in a basket in the bottom that you can empty into the compost, they have an on-demand water heater inside that is very efficient (this is where others really fail in the energy department), and they work REALLY well.

I would love to say that I really thought that I was doing the 'greenest' thing by using a dishwasher but I think your system sounds really good.

Once you've considered the soap, water, and energy consumption... if you get a dishwasher you also need to consider the manufacturing/ transport of the washer and the waste it creates.

I have made the decision to use a dishwasher for my own happiness

However:
I only use it when it is TOTALLY full (and I can really fill a dishwasher!)
I don't use water for rinsing, just scrape off the big chunks
I don't use the "heat dry" cycle
I use biodegradable detergent
I spend the time that I would otherwise would be doing dishes doing something positive, not just watching tv

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I agree, it totally depends on your situation.
I think dishwashers are savers if you have one that can fit your families entire dishes for the day and you only run it once a day when it's full (the newer models are better for this because you can fit so much into them - even pots and pans). I also run my dishwasher at night when energy/water is cheaper. I use homemade dishwasher soap and vinegar in the JetDry compartment. I never use hightemp wash or rinse and never use heated dry. I also set it for the shortest cycle possible on my machine and don't rinse the dishes before hand. I feel like this is the better option for my family, given that I cook and bake alot and this would mean SEVERAL loads of dishes per day (like 6-8) if I was doing them by hand.

I love my dishwasher

I know that it is the best choice for me. I run it once per day and I use green detergent in it. I was without it for about 2 months after it got fried due to a lightning strike. We don't use disposable anything, so that left me with LOTS of dishes and cooking utensils to wash. That was when I realized that my happiness depends upon my dishwasher

I absolutely hate to see dishes piled up on the counters or in the sink. I feel an intense need to clean them up immediately after they are used. I can put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher and still feel like they are cleaned up and not cluttering my kitchen. I know it's best to let them sit around all day and then clean everything at one time. Unfortunately, that is not something I can do. So, that is the reason that I will never again live without my dishwasher.

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The brand that we were talking about was Bosch. Here is the website with their dishwashers.

I would look for:
one that WORKS and you don't have to rise first
a filter that is removable and cleanable (doesn't have to be replaced when it gets clogged)
some sort of filter/grinder system for dealing with food particles (so you don't have to rinse)
1/2 load option
efficient water heating system (most just splash water around on a heating element, very inefficient)
racks that can accommodate what you want to wash
low water and energy usage
quiet (but most that are E efficient are quiet since noise is a waste of E)

humm... I know there's more

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Would you mind sharing the dishwasher soap recipe you use to make yours? TIA