‘Disturbingly powerful hand dryer’
courtesy of ‘harrysaxon23’
After WLDC’s first photo walk a few weeks ago we adjourned to RFD, a place I’ve long loved for its great selection of beers on tap. However there’s a somewhat off-color but highly accurate truism: you don’t buy beer, you just rent it for a while.
Unfortunately RFD has done some renovation on the room their product sends you to repeatedly, and their race to the bottom continues. Last time I was in they’d painted over the somewhat hackneyed but part-of-their-character beer-themed quotes on the wall. Now they’ve removed the paper towel dispenser and put in one of those Dysan jet-engine-powered hand dryers. Unfortunately the science says that these things are notably inferior to paper towels in getting germs off your hands. Ditch this thing, RFD, and bring back the plain and simple towel.
Yes, I read a publication named BarfBlog. So sue me.
Well I used to say something in my profile about not quite being a “tinker, tailor, soldier, or spy” but Tom stole that for our about us page, so I guess I’ll have to find another way to express that I am a man of many interests.
Hmm, guess I just did.
My tastes run the gamut from sophomoric to Shakespeare and in my “professional” life I’ve sold things, served beer, written software, and carried heavy objects… sometimes at the same place. It’s that range of loves and activities that makes it so easy for me to love DC – we’ve got it all.
“Anytime you can make something more annoying and less sanitary you have to do it right?”
^Sales pitch for air dryers in bathrooms
Hey man, some of us care about the environment. Bring your own towel next time.
I care about it too, but don’t forget that air dryers aren’t exactly 0 impact: aside from the significant manufacturing expense and impact, that jet dryer consumes electricity.
Just as important, this isn’t a minor difference we’re talking about. The study linked off Barfblog above shows that using a paper towel removes another 50% or more of the harmful bacteria after washing. That’s a pretty big improvement you’re missing out on, and that is aside from the negative impact of those things redistributing crud and making it airborne… where you breath it in.