You might feel like you are helping the environment by hand-washing your dishes, but it actually uses more water and energy. Loading automatic dishwashers and running when full will save you time and money, plus it's better for the environment!
Oh, and don't pre-rinse your dishes! Nearly all modern dishwashers are designed to remove food without the pre-rinsing. You're doing more work than you need to, and you are wasting water and money is going down the drain.