QUIZ- Which is more ecological, hand washing dishes or using a dishwasher?

Of course the answer will depend on the size of your sink, your dishwashing procedure, and the specifications of your dishwasher. But generally, the dishwasher is more energy efficient. Why is that?

It’s all due to hot water.

Filling the average kitchen sink to soak dirty dishes in takes 4-6 gallons of hot water. Some people rinse the washed dishes in a second sink full of water. Others run the water, which uses about 2 gallons of water per minute, depending on the faucet.

On the other hand, a dishwasher uses about 3-4 gallons of hot water for one cycle.

Doing the math, the dishwasher uses less hot water. That means it uses less electricity to run the water heater, meaning you save on two utility bills.

How can you make using the dishwasher even more efficient?

• Only run the dishwasher when it is full.
• Don’t pre-rinse dishes. Just scrape them before loading them.
• Skip the heated drying cycle. Instead, open the door slightly at the end of the cycle to allow steam to escape.

How can you make hand washing dishes more efficient?

• Be sure to scrap the dishes before putting them in the soapy hot water.
• Fill the sink only half way. That’s enough water to do the job.
• Rinse the cleaned dishes in cold water.

Heat Domes

You may have heard about heat domes in the news. Perhaps you have even experienced one, or are living in one right now. What exactly is a heat dome? How does it form? And what are the consequences of being in a heat dome? Does this have anything to do with climate change?

A heat dome is a weather phenomenon. A large area of high pressure traps warm air over a region, and this can last days or weeks. High pressure means the air is being pressed down, and compressing air heats it up. The high pressure is like a lid, keeping the heated air from rising, so the temperature at ground level increases significantly. The temperature under a heat dome is often above the average normal high temperature for the region.

Normally, the jet stream, which is a band of strong winds in the upper atmosphere, moves from west to east, pushing weather across the continent. Sometimes the jet stream becomes weak or stalls. Then a large high pressure system can become persistent. The high pressure also suppresses the formation of clouds. Less cloud cover means more sunlight hits the surface of the earth, increasing the temperature at ground level. Changes in oceanic climate patterns, such as La Niña, can also affect wind flow patterns, causing stagnation of warm air.

Heat domes have consequences at various levels. For individuals, heat domes can increase health risks, especially for vulnerable populations such as children, elders and persons with underlying health conditions. High temperatures increase the amount of water vapor in the air. Sweating, the body’s natural cooling mechanism, is impaired by high humidity, adding to the problems. Individuals may suffer heat exhaustion, heatstroke or death. The extreme weather can negatively affect mental health as well as physical.

Heat domes also impact the environment. The extremely high temperatures increase evaporation rates, reducing soil moisture and causing or increasing droughts. High temperatures can cause mass die-offs of vegetation and marine life. Dry plants and high temperatures are favorable conditions for wildfires.

In addition to health and environmental impacts, heat domes also impact infrastructure. Crops can be damaged or destroyed, leading to a depressed agricultural economy and higher grocery costs. Power grids are strained by very high usage.

Climate change does seem to be increasing both the frequency and intensity of heat domes. Greenhouse gases trap heat lower in the atmosphere, contributing to the high pressure areas that create heat domes. And since the Arctic is warming faster than the equatorial regions, the jet stream is weakened.

For information on how to prepare for and how to stay safe during a heat dome:

https://www.everydayhealth.com/general-health/how-to-stay-safe-during-a-heat-wave/

Healthinfo Island Displays and Exhibits for July 2025

You can teleport to any of the eight displays and exhibits using the SLURLs in this posting. In Second Life, click on the poster with the same name as the title of the poster set, and you will get a notecard that contains all the text of the posters plus descriptions of the images. If you click each poster, you will get a private message with additional information and live links.

Kidney Knowledge
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/195/158/22

Social Wellness Month
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/188/181/24

Our Amazing Hands
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/172/155/22

Our Wonderful Feet
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/114/79/24

Why You Should Read More
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/98/40/26

Racial Disparities in Health and Healthcare in the U.S.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/50/28/28

Have a Safe and Happy Summer
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/24/23/30

July is Sarcoma Awareness Month
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/21/63/32


Central Pavilion of Healthinfo Island
Check out the calming breathing exercise on the back wall!
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/128/126/24

Thank you to Mook for help with the posters this month. 

Surgery on Friday? No, thanks!

If you have a choice of dates to have elective surgery, go for Monday if possible. And definitely, don’t have surgery on Friday or on a Thursday before a long holiday weekend. What’s the difference?

 

Researchers studied over 450,000 common surgeries performed in Toronto between 2007-2019. They looked at 30-day, 90-day, and one-year outcomes for patients. They checked for complications during the hospital stay, readmission to the hospital, and death within those time periods.

 

People whose surgery was on a pre-weekend day were 5% more likely to have a negative outcome up to a year later than were people whose surgery was on a post-weekend day (Monday, or Tuesday after a long weekend). The surgeries in which this effect was most noticeable were for heart and vascular problems. Plastic surgery and obstetrics showed very little calendar-related effects.

 

This is not just a Canadian phenomenon. Similar research has been done in the UK, in the US, and in the Netherlands. It has been labeled the “Friday effect.”

 

Several theories exist to explain this effect. It is possible that hospital staff on duty over weekends are less experienced or more overworked, which might lead to delayed or less efficient care. Specialist care may be less available on weekends. Some researchers concluded that “disparities in resources, expertise, and healthcare providers working during weekends may explain the observed differences in weekend mortality.”

 

However, sometimes there does not seem to be a Friday effect. A study of elective anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) surgery found that “the day of elective ACDF surgery does not affect mortality, readmissions, or reoperation rates.” The authors note that it is likely that there may be more negative outcomes for patients with early-week surgeries because surgeons prefer to schedule “more complex cases or higher risk patients” earlier rather than later in the week.

 

Conclusion: It’s always wise to ask lots of questions before elective surgery. Be your own best advocate. And remember that even if there are risks, they seem to be small.