Another Hand-Drying Option

I’m glad to hear about the new efficient hand dryer ("XLerator – The Electric Hand Dryer Reinvented"

EBN

Vol. 11, No. 1), but how ’bout at least mentioning the option of a little shake and wipe on the pants. It’s worked well for me for years—and looks great on the eco-comparison chart.

Marshall Glickman

Green Living

Newfane, Vermont

Editors’ response:

Thanks for the hands-on perspective! While we agree that this is an option individuals may consider, those who design and build public lavatories must provide another means of hand drying, and their choice is usually between paper towels and electric dryers.

As additional follow-up, we've heard indirectly about users who are uncomfortable without paper towels because they use them to open the restroom door so they don't have to touch a handle directly. If it is universal enough, this concern about contact with germs on a doorknob may be an obstacle to the broader use of electric hand dryers.