The paper towel epidemic

Mackenzie Hines, Staff Writer

Since coming to the new school there have been many changes. Some have been welcomed and some have enraged the student body, like replacing the paper towels with hand dryers.  

“I hate the dryers,” junior Mia Charles said. “They don’t even dry your hands all the way.”

These dryers have been the topic of discussion for the last few weeks after the realization that there are no paper towels in any of the student bathrooms. Many students, like junior Kayla Milholen, are having to take matters into their own hands by carrying their own napkins.

Some feel the dryers are useless because even when they stand there for thirty minutes, their hands still wouldn’t be dry.

“The dryers make me late to class because I am either waiting in line to dry my hands or the dryers take forever,” junior Laura Olivo said.

Others feel the lack of paper towels is a problem when they need them for other uses.

“I got gum on my shoes, but I had to use my hands to get it off because there were no towels,” junior Jordan Beechum said.

But not everyone has jumped on the anti-dryer wagon.

“I like that the dryers are good for the environment,” said junior Ellie Bristow. And she isn’t the only one with this mindset.

Principal Adan Casas said that although he prefers paper towels, he likes the benefits of the dryers. The dryers keep the costs of paper down, saving the district $230 per person per dry.

Another thing that makes these dryers more appealing to the administration is that the dryers keep the bathrooms cleaner because of the lack of waste. But if clean means free from contamination or disease, then the hand dryers are actually accomplishing the opposite.

Many don’t know this, but whenever someone flushes, bacteria from the toilet can be thrown out into the air up to 15 feet away. And once the dryer is turned on it moves all the particles in the air on to your hands.

However, if you have a strong immune system you can handle the germs. After all, not all bacteria is bad for you.

But faculty doesn’t face this problem because their bathrooms are stocked with the coveted paper towels.

So WHS, you should probably add towels to your back to school shopping for next year!