Filling the kitchen sink with water when cleaning the dishes may help reduce the carbon footprint in a property, new research has suggested. Doing pots and pans in a bowl rather than running them under hot water from the kitchen tap is just one way in which homeowners can look out for the environment, according to a joint report by the Energy Saving Trust and the Environment Agency. The organisations also urged planners and developers to introduce water efficiency measures in retrofit programmes to reduce carbon emissions and save energy. Head of water at the Environment Agency Ian Barker said Currently, six per cent of the UKs annual carbon emissions are related to water use - nearly 90 per cent of that is from hot water use in the home.According to a recent study by consumer group Which? green kitchens are becoming increasingly popular with prospective buyers, with environmentally-friendly dishwashers ranking highly in important kitchen appliances.