Environmental Benefits Of Automatic Hand Dryers
Automatic hand dryers have become as commonplace in public restrooms as sinks or mirrors
. Most people do not think twice when they run their hands under the warm air for a few seconds after washing up. But what exactly does their use of hand dryers mean for the environment? The obvious answer is that automatic hand dryers save trees, which is certainly true, but that is not the only advantage. When compared to the production and use of paper towels, the hand dryer's wasteful competitor, the environmental benefits of automatic dryers are difficult to ignore.Less Waste:
One of the benefits to the environment that electric hand dryers present is less paper waste. While using paper towels made from recycled paper might contribute to a greener environment, the fact remains that paper towels themselves are not actually recycled after use. Discarded paper towels - usually two per hand wash - accumulates in trash cans and around the sink area, contributing to a messy bathroom and leading to the use of more trash bags, more chemical cleaning solutions, and more paper waste in general.
Less Energy:
Many people might argue that it takes longer to dry their hands with an electric hand dryer, which adds to the total energy used to operate a hand dryer. But the next time you use a paper towel merely because it is more efficient at drying hands, think of the energy required to produce and ship that paper towel in that specific washroom. While a hand dryer typically lasts about seven to ten years, reducing the energy required to produce and deliver in the long run, the energy used to produce enough paper towels to last seven to ten years is much greater. That energy is required for the machinery, log transport, milling and other various processes involved in producing paper.
Save the Trees:
And of course, hand dryers save trees. Take the example of a typical fast food restaurant with two washrooms that does not use automatic hand dryers. This single restaurant might go through up to two thousand pounds of paper towels in just one year. That is the equivalent of thirty-four trees that could have been saved with the use of automatic hand dryers.
With more businesses and restaurants taking advantage of the environmental and cost benefits of hand dryers, we are making progress toward a greener world. If you are a business owner, do the math, and decide if going paperless makes sense for your business.
by: Chris Huang