On Monday, Amy pointed you to a video Q&A session in which Energy Secretary Steven Chu answered some reader-submitted questions. One of the questions that Secretary Chu answered was about dishwashing. He confirmed that using a dishwasher does, in fact, save energy and water over washing dishes by hand. If you have a dishwasher, this is one simple way you can save energy in the kitchen. (And as Amy pointed out, it could be a reason to consider installing a dishwasher if you don’t have one!) We all spend time in the kitchen, and the appliances and water we use there can drive up our utility bills, but smart choices can help keep your costs down.

How do you save energy in the kitchen?

Each Thursday, you have the chance to share your thoughts on a question about energy efficiency or renewable energy for consumers. Please comment with your answers, and also feel free to respond to other comments.