🧻 Hand Drying Footprint Calculator
Compare the carbon footprint of paper towels versus electric hand dryers, and see your estimated annual CO2 footprint from hand drying.
Why hand-drying method matters
Every time hands are dried, there is an associated carbon footprint: paper towels carry the footprint of producing, transporting, and disposing of paper, while electric dryers carry the footprint of the electricity used to run their motors and heating elements.
How this calculator works
This tool uses commonly cited per-use CO2 equivalent (CO2e) figures from lifecycle studies of hand-drying methods: paper towels (roughly 10g CO2e per dry, based on typical use of two sheets), warm air dryers (roughly 18.5g CO2e per dry), and modern high-speed jet air dryers (roughly 3.3g CO2e per dry, since they use less energy and time). Multiplying the per-dry figure by how many times you dry your hands per day and how many days per year gives an estimated annual footprint.
These are general industry estimates; actual figures vary by paper source, electricity grid mix, and dryer model. This tool is intended for general comparison and educational purposes.