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Green-friendly washing machine uses just one cup of water
Times Online ^

Posted on 06/21/2009 2:43:57 PM PDT by Sub-Driver

Green-friendly washing machine uses just one cup of water Bill Westwater, chief executive of Xeros Peter Stiff

Hippies may not be the most frequent visitors to the launderette, but soon they will have no excuse not to wash their clothes, thanks to a new environmentally friendly washing machine — that uses only one cup of water and leaves clothes virtually dry — set to go on sale next year.

The technology, developed at the University of Leeds, aims to save up to 90 per cent of water used by conventional machines, use 30 per cent less energy and have the environmental impact of taking two million cars off the road.

The machine works by replacing most of the water with thousands of tiny, reusable nylon polymer beads, which attract and absorb dirt under humid conditions.

Only a small amount of water and detergent is needed to dampen the clothes, loosen stains and create the water vapour that allows the beads to work. After the cycle is finished, the beads fall through a mesh in the machine’s drum and can be re-used up to a hundred times.

Xeros, the company behind the technology, is aiming initially at the commercial washing market, including hotels and dry cleaners. Its chief executive, Bill Westwater, said that growing pressure on companies and consumers to cut water usage and carbon emissions should boost demand for the system.

(Excerpt) Read more at business.timesonline.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: beads; envirowhackos; green; water
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To: Mount Athos

I recently bought a front load, eco friendly washer and dryer. This machine virtually uses almost no water. I went online to see if I could get a PG&E rebate on it. It wasn’t green enough! I was amazed it didn’t match their specs, uses a cup too much water I guess.
These machines are actually much cheaper than they used to be. I paid $1200 for the pair.


21 posted on 06/21/2009 3:12:24 PM PDT by sheana
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To: Sub-Driver
Green-friendly washing machine uses just one cup of water

NO THANK YOU! I'd like to keep the few friends I have, therefore, I'd start using a washboard and a tin wash tub before I buy/use that "green" washing machine. If they want to smell like a damp raccoon that rolled around in some gravels and a fresh dung heap then they can be my guest, but there's no way I'm gonna wash my clothes in that contraption.

22 posted on 06/21/2009 3:12:49 PM PDT by Kitsunebi
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To: Sub-Driver

This sounds like one of the gags that Rush Limbaugh had on his Radio show many years ago.

You would add almost NO water and your clothing would come out stinking as badly as when it went in.

The Machine was known as the Jupiter 3000 by General Ecclectic.

You can hear it at his parody archive.I guess he didn’t know how ahead of his time he really was.


23 posted on 06/21/2009 3:15:04 PM PDT by puppypusher (The world is going to the Dogs.)
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To: Kitsunebi

Look for a $1 per gallon water tax in the future if this is successful.


24 posted on 06/21/2009 3:15:14 PM PDT by Red in Blue PA (If guns cause crime, then all of mine are defective!)
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To: sheana

I have been researching these lately.

Major manufacturers offer front loaders that use far less water and energy than old models already. The upfront cost is justified for those who do a lot of loads, can make it up over time with ongoing savings.

The other major issue is reliability. My reading showed me that many of these are not very reliable. Sounds like samsung and bosch are more reliable than average.


25 posted on 06/21/2009 3:16:26 PM PDT by Mount Athos (A Giant luxury mega-mansion for Gore, a Government Green EcoShack made of poo for you)
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To: healy61

In Europe, they may only use 10 cups of water... They have tiny washers to begin with...

The thing is, in a realistic sense, how much difference does it make if a washing machine uses 10 cups or 1 cup?

Not much, unless you can only wash one clothing item at a time...

Just to grow their favorite organic tomato it uses far more water...

People act like using water destroys it. Not so.

And last but not least. There is not shortage of water on the planet. Zip. There are only shortages of cheap water. One can desalinate ocean water with a little effort, it just is more expensive particularly because it takes significant amounts of energy to do. But it is readily doable.


26 posted on 06/21/2009 3:18:55 PM PDT by DB
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To: Sub-Driver

Hey, if someone can make a washing machine that only uses one cup of water and 30% less energy, and that actually CLEANS CLOTHES, then I am fine with it. And if the clothes come out mostly dry, then they can be hung or thrown in a dryer for just a few minutes. All good. Hope the cost is in line with conventional washers, then it will be a hit.


27 posted on 06/21/2009 3:21:22 PM PDT by spodefly (This is my tag line. There are many like it, but this one is mine.)
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To: Sub-Driver

I have one word for the one cup....stupid.


28 posted on 06/21/2009 3:21:55 PM PDT by FrankR (We are only enslaved to the extent of charity we receive....)
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To: Sub-Driver

This could be cool for use on a boat, or an RV, or a very remote cabin without consistent well water available... In many applications/locations this would be a great option to have! A single 16 ounce bottle of water could do two loads of laundry...


29 posted on 06/21/2009 3:22:51 PM PDT by PugetSoundSoldier (Indignation over the sting of truth is the defense of the indefensible)
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To: muawiyah

so is the odor of the people wearing them.


30 posted on 06/21/2009 3:23:21 PM PDT by dforest (Anyone dumb enough to have voted for him deserves what they get.. No Pity!)
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To: Mount Athos

I actually bought it because I was sick to death of agitators tearing everything up. My last machine ripped hubby’s fav sweatshirt apart. I couldn’t tell you how many comforters I replaced because they were bulgy or came apart from being wrapped around the agitator. I love this machine for comforters, blankets, etc. It holds alot and doesn’t tear anything up.


31 posted on 06/21/2009 3:24:37 PM PDT by sheana
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To: Sub-Driver

I’ll be the contrarian here and hope that things like this actually work.

Every new bit of technology that allows us to be “green” without altering our lifestyle in any significant way is a huge counterargument to the econazi belief that everyone must return to the stone age for the planet to survive.


32 posted on 06/21/2009 3:25:20 PM PDT by denydenydeny ("I'm sure this goes against everything you've been taught, but right and wrong do exist"-Dr House)
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To: Sub-Driver

Is this like using one sheet of toilet paper?


33 posted on 06/21/2009 3:25:24 PM PDT by calex59
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To: muawiyah
Sounds like the same stuff used in those dry urinal systems.

I do not understand this low water use mania.....

.....Do these things in areas of the desert where there is little to no water to be found.

But leave us alone in areas like the Great Lakes. We use water then it ends up back in the lake. It doesn't get destroyed or disappear.

In fact, the big bad fossil fuel power plants and engines MAKE water by burning H2 with O2 in the boilers and combustion chambers. So the net world water inventory is INCREASING, not decreasing.

34 posted on 06/21/2009 3:26:21 PM PDT by SteamShovel (When hope trumps reality, there is no hope at all.)
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To: NewHampshireDuo

I use a clothesline...but just because I’m cheap.


35 posted on 06/21/2009 3:26:23 PM PDT by Straight Vermonter (Posting from deep behind the Maple Curtain)
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To: Sub-Driver
A dozen or so years ago I was consulting for the Arcelik company in Turkey. Among other things, they made washing machines. In order to sell in Europe, they had to meet EU standards. The way it worked was this. Every year, the EU examined all the washing machines on the market, and determined the water and electricity consumption of each. For the next year, the minimum standard was a few percent lower than the worst of a given year's achievements. That is, the standard kept creeping down as the machines on the market got better.

One of the issues Arcelik was concerned about was, what was the limit? Just how far down could you push water consumption? The eventual conclusion was that you couldn't get it lower than enough water to wet all the clothes in the machine. At that limit, though, I didn't think the machine would do a good job of washing. This absorbent bead gimmick is simply a way of getting around the absence of enough water to carry off the dirt.

Typical bureaucratic nannyism.

36 posted on 06/21/2009 3:26:47 PM PDT by JoeFromSidney
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To: Sub-Driver
How about this: Instead of stupid ideas about machines that use less water(Including showers and toilets)we build desalinization plants on both coasts and have all the water we ever need, ever. The technology is there, we already know how to build small reactors, subs and Aircraft carriers use them all the time. Start cranking those puppies out, place them off shore and viola! Water galore.

The greenies don't want to do this though because that would take one of the items away from them that they are using to control us.

37 posted on 06/21/2009 3:31:35 PM PDT by calex59
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To: denydenydeny

It would be nice, but I just keep thinking about diapers. If you are green, you would use cloth diapers for a baby, right? Anyone who has ever used them knows washing them is the ultimate test to see if your washer and soap really cleans. I wonder how a load of diapers for a one year old would come out of this machine.


38 posted on 06/21/2009 3:35:20 PM PDT by freemama
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To: Sub-Driver

62 years ago, I joined the U.S. Army National Guard and soon found myself a bunkmate of one Fay Kay Ray; fond of drink and frolic alike, after but a few brews Fay could be heard throughout the camp making solemn promises one day to commit gentle matricide for the crime of having cursed him with such a rhythmic but cruel name; I can but wonder what the same time spent with this hapless fellow would have brought:

“Green-friendly washing machine uses just one cup of water
Peter Stiff”


39 posted on 06/21/2009 3:35:23 PM PDT by Old Professer (The critic writes with rapier pen, dips it twice, then writes again.)
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To: Sub-Driver
Its chief executive, Bill Westwater, said that growing pressure on companies and consumers to cut water usage and carbon emissions should boost demand for the system.

While the fact that it doesn't clean clothes very well will help fuel a serious backlash against the enviro-fascists.
40 posted on 06/21/2009 3:39:09 PM PDT by AnotherUnixGeek
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