Paper Towels or Electric Hand Dryer's: Which is better for the environment?

Question

Something I've often wondered, which is better for the environment: drying your hands with a paper towel (let's say it takes 3 paper towels each time) or using the electric hand dryer (1 cycle)?

Answer 1

I guess the difference would be how much electricity is used for the dryer, and how much fuel is used to generate that electricity, compared to the cost of producing paper for the towels.  The brown towels are usually recycled paper, so maybe that is less intrusive on the environment.

Answer 2

Good Question!!! I feel if depends where you live...

Paper towels cut down trees and used power to make it.. recycled paper used power also... Electric dryer used power..

How do your State make electricity??? Here in Las Vegas, Nevada our Electric Company wants to build a new power plant by using Coal and dirty the air... No program for Solar or wind power here in Nevada.. Mostly all Casinos , buy electric at a wholesale price... Spring , Summer and part of fall the rest of us must pay $$$$ to keep cool... We also pay when we go shopping...

Answer 3

Well, electric hand dryers use energy and paper towels use up trees. So I would think if they had solar power hand dryers and recycled paper towels I think that would answer your question.

The answer to your question is Electric hand dryers because they do use up very much energy, but the tree you saved would take that carbon dioxide.

Hope that Helped!

Ana

Answer 4

I think if the paper was made of recycled stuff it would be better for the earth.

Answer 5

paper towels from recycled things. besides since so many trees are being cut down in Africa, the desert is andvancing southward. i think that something we really need to focus on to because everyone is screaming global warming but not enough of 'save the trees' to. we can't focus on one thing at a time or it'll be to late. the growing desert is affecting people.

Answer 6

papertowels are more sanitary.  the dryer tends to collect dead skin cells and can pass on the spread of disease.  it is more optimal to use the recycled paper towels as they are green, and power recources are are not affected so much.  recylcled paper towels are more green just by being recycled as well.   for more information on greenwise go to the care2.com website.

Answer 7

i think hand driers are better.. because nowadays there already many sources of energy like solar power.. dams.. etc. while in paper towels..there is only one. trees. and it will take you many years before you can cut a tree and turn them to paper towels...

Answer 8

Are you kidding?

The obvious answer is wipe your hands on your pants, under your armpits or just shake them!

Answer 9

Whatever happened to the rotating towel thing?

This is a cotton towel that is pulled down for each use, but winds up again when used. It is then laundered and replaced.

This will use less materials, and is more efficient than either.

Answer 10

your pants are the best solution for hand drying needs