Strange that I see this article now. As for me, I tried to wash clothes in cold water but it's not as good as hot water. Plus you do not kill all the bacteria with cold water. That's why underwear and bedding should always be washed in hot water I think. Well, on most of the clothes it is written that you cannot wash them in water hotter than 40 degrees. And as many of my clothes cannot be washed in water hotter than 30 degrees, I wash all delicates in 30 degrees (It's rather strange that you don't use degrees). And as for the 90 degrees - it is necessary sometimes and this way you kill most of the bacteria but you can only wash white bedding or clothes this way. I never use this programme either.
I think it's better for the environment if people wash their clothes in a way that bacteria can be killed and I think it's better to kill them with more natural methods (high temperature) than with chenicals.
Whitney, what you are saying is really strange to me. What's that system where you don't have hot water inthe bathroom if someone is doing the laundry? As far as I know the washing machine boils the water itself and it doesn't matter if the water coming is hot or cold? Did you use any different type of washing machine? I still don't get it.