As you step into the bathrooms around the upper school, you might notice a small but significant change: hand dryers have largely replaced paper towels. This shift is part of a broader effort to reduce environmental waste, but it also raises questions about hygiene and convenience. Why make the switch? And what does it mean for us?
The decision to swap out paper towels for air dryers isn’t just about convenience. It’s a deliberate effort to reduce the school’s environmental impact. Paper towels create a major source of waste due to their single-use nature.
With hundreds of students using the bathrooms daily, it’s no surprise that paper towels flood the trash cans or end up scattered on the floor. Disposing of them, plus the resources needed to produce and transport paper towels, all contribute to the school’s carbon footprint. By installing hand dryers, the school aims to cut down on the waste.
Reducing single-use items like paper towels may seem small, but it not only cuts down on waste: it makes maintenance more efficient.
Fourth Former Ray Kresge said, “I think the switch is good for the environment, but it’s also nice not to have to constantly replace paper towels and deal with overflowing trash bins. It’s one less thing to worry about.”
According to Stanford Magazine, air dryers require fewer resources than paper towels, which need to be continually produced, transported, and disposed of—adding to the energy required for their production just to inevitably end up in the landfill.
Studies show that high-speed air dryers—like the ones used in the upper school—can blow bacteria and viruses into the air.
In terms of convenience, air dryers offer a quicker way to dry hands, although this depends on the individual. Some students find that a few seconds under the jet air stream is enough to dry their hands, which can be faster than grabbing a paper towel, drying their hands off, and tossing it away. However, this comes with downsides.
“I dislike how the hand dryers leave my hands still a little damp,” Kresge said.
The switch to hand dryers isn’t without its challenges. Hygiene is a concern when it comes to the spread of germs. Studies show that high-speed air dryers—like the ones used in the upper school—can blow bacteria and viruses into the air.
According to research in The Journal of Applied Microbiology, jet air dryers can disperse up to 1,300 times more germs into the surrounding environment than paper towels. These germs can travel as far as 6.5 feet and linger in the air for up to fifteen minutes. This creates concern about contamination, especially in a school environment where students are in close contact. While proper handwashing is the most effective way to prevent the spread of germs, the use of air dryers raises questions about the risk of bacteria circulated in shared spaces. However, this risk is minimal if students wash their hands thoroughly.
“Maybe the solution is finding a sweet spot between the cleanliness of paper towels and the environmentally friendly aspect of air dryers.”
Ray Kresge ’27
Another aspect to consider is the practicality of air dryers. While they are effective for drying hands, they lack the versatility of paper towels. Kresge points out that air dryers aren’t useful for certain everyday tasks—things that paper towels can handle easily.
“Paper towels are just better for certain things, like wiping your face or cleaning up a mess. The hand dryers can’t do that.”
Ultimately, finding a balance between reducing waste and maintaining hygiene is key.
“Maybe the solution is finding a sweet spot between the cleanliness of paper towels and the environmentally friendly aspect of air dryers,” Kresge said.