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March 4, 2011 4:34 AM Subscribe
The Green Lantern: Illuminating answers to environmental questions. Slate.com's Environmentally Focused blog which asks important questions such as: Should I buy milk in glass, plastic, or cardboard containers? Should I get a solar water heater? Or solar electric panels? Is grass-fed beef better for the environment? Are fake flowers better for the planet than fresh ones? and more. Archives: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007.
Nice. Now someone tell me if I should use paper towels or electric dryers in the wash room.
posted by londonmark at 5:06 AM on March 4, 2011
posted by londonmark at 5:06 AM on March 4, 2011
Nice. Now someone tell me if I should use paper towels or electric dryers in the wash room.
June 17, 2008.
posted by Fizz at 5:10 AM on March 4, 2011
June 17, 2008.
posted by Fizz at 5:10 AM on March 4, 2011
Doh, thanks Fizz. I didn't see the archive. That elipssis on the landing page is really inadequate.
posted by londonmark at 5:14 AM on March 4, 2011
posted by londonmark at 5:14 AM on March 4, 2011
ellipsis even. eek.
posted by londonmark at 5:15 AM on March 4, 2011
posted by londonmark at 5:15 AM on March 4, 2011
Nice. Now someone tell me if I should use paper towels or electric dryers in the wash room.
I wipe my hands on my jeans.
posted by tumid dahlia at 5:22 AM on March 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
I wipe my hands on my jeans.
posted by tumid dahlia at 5:22 AM on March 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
tumid dahlia: I wipe my hands on my jeans.
Thus completely negating the effects of washing your hands.
posted by paisley henosis at 5:25 AM on March 4, 2011
Thus completely negating the effects of washing your hands.
posted by paisley henosis at 5:25 AM on March 4, 2011
I wipe my hands on my jeans.
Yea, that's probably the 'greenest' solution, but I'm a bit icky about doing it. I'm happy to air dry, but that looks weird and leaves the door handle wet for the people behind me, so also not very considerate.
posted by londonmark at 5:26 AM on March 4, 2011
Yea, that's probably the 'greenest' solution, but I'm a bit icky about doing it. I'm happy to air dry, but that looks weird and leaves the door handle wet for the people behind me, so also not very considerate.
posted by londonmark at 5:26 AM on March 4, 2011
If you really want your hands to be clean, then you need to use a paper towel and do the whole advance the paper towel - wash - use towel to turn off sink & open door thing. If you are going to be eating finger foods after doing something gross, the blower isn't really an option.
If you are just getting sticky off, then I do a shake and then air dry.
posted by paisley henosis at 5:41 AM on March 4, 2011
If you are just getting sticky off, then I do a shake and then air dry.
posted by paisley henosis at 5:41 AM on March 4, 2011
Thus completely negating the effects of washing your hands.
I'm only doing it to get everyone else's skank of my hands, I'm not worried about my own. I'm not a surgeon. Just work at the Subway.
posted by tumid dahlia at 5:51 AM on March 4, 2011
I'm only doing it to get everyone else's skank of my hands, I'm not worried about my own. I'm not a surgeon. Just work at the Subway.
posted by tumid dahlia at 5:51 AM on March 4, 2011
What's the greenest arrangement of deck chairs on the Titanic?
posted by whuppy at 5:51 AM on March 4, 2011 [13 favorites]
posted by whuppy at 5:51 AM on March 4, 2011 [13 favorites]
I'm only doing it to get everyone else's skank of my hands, I'm not worried about my own. I'm not a surgeon. Just work at the Subway.
I never thought about it, but the 'Employee's must wash hands' mandate never says anything about how to dry them. ew?
posted by fuzzypantalones at 5:58 AM on March 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
I never thought about it, but the 'Employee's must wash hands' mandate never says anything about how to dry them. ew?
posted by fuzzypantalones at 5:58 AM on March 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
If they're still damp I hover them over the meatballs. Some dripping, but heat kills germs, right?
posted by tumid dahlia at 6:04 AM on March 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by tumid dahlia at 6:04 AM on March 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
If they're still damp I hover them over the meatballs.
Do I want to know?
posted by londonmark at 6:14 AM on March 4, 2011
Do I want to know?
posted by londonmark at 6:14 AM on March 4, 2011
Well, this has taken an unexpected and disgusting turn...
posted by schmod at 6:36 AM on March 4, 2011
posted by schmod at 6:36 AM on March 4, 2011
Will The Gulf Ever Be Oil-Free? No. But bacteria ate most of BP's spilled oil months ago.
They might want to think about udpating that one.
posted by malocchio at 7:08 AM on March 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
They might want to think about udpating that one.
posted by malocchio at 7:08 AM on March 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
It says that plastic pouches -- aka milk bags -- are the least energy-consuming way to get your milk. Though they do fill landfills.
posted by jb at 7:18 AM on March 4, 2011
posted by jb at 7:18 AM on March 4, 2011
Should I get a solar water heater?
I have a solar water heater! My pool is solar heated, too. Panels on the roof, the whole deal. I love the idea in concept.
In execution? Meh. We go through the hot water quickly, it was expensive when we put it in, and we've had more maintenance problems than I think we should have, which negates the "it will pay for itself in so many years" argument.
I attribute most of the issues to the fact that we installed all this about 14 years ago, though, so we had a harder time finding the expertise needed to set up our home system efficiently and service it properly. I certainly hope that has changed over time; living in Florida, solar energy seems the ideal solution (I do think you can get rebates now for making your home more energy-efficient).
posted by misha at 7:21 AM on March 4, 2011
I have a solar water heater! My pool is solar heated, too. Panels on the roof, the whole deal. I love the idea in concept.
In execution? Meh. We go through the hot water quickly, it was expensive when we put it in, and we've had more maintenance problems than I think we should have, which negates the "it will pay for itself in so many years" argument.
I attribute most of the issues to the fact that we installed all this about 14 years ago, though, so we had a harder time finding the expertise needed to set up our home system efficiently and service it properly. I certainly hope that has changed over time; living in Florida, solar energy seems the ideal solution (I do think you can get rebates now for making your home more energy-efficient).
posted by misha at 7:21 AM on March 4, 2011
It says that plastic pouches -- aka milk bags -- are the least energy-consuming way to get your milk. Though they do fill landfills.
Not nearly as much as the 70% of plastic bottles that don't get recycled. Milk bags are the best solution, but just like the metric system and dollar coins, Americans fear change too much to ever make the switch.
posted by rocket88 at 7:34 AM on March 4, 2011
Not nearly as much as the 70% of plastic bottles that don't get recycled. Milk bags are the best solution, but just like the metric system and dollar coins, Americans fear change too much to ever make the switch.
posted by rocket88 at 7:34 AM on March 4, 2011
It says that plastic pouches -- aka milk bags -- are the least energy-consuming way to get your milk. Though they do fill landfills.
When I moved from Texas, USA to Ontario, Canada milk pouches was one of the weirdest things to me. But, I think it does cut back on waste. The milk contrary to what some might assume does not go bad. The pouch is cut in the corner and pouring is as simple as it looks.
posted by Fizz at 7:37 AM on March 4, 2011
When I moved from Texas, USA to Ontario, Canada milk pouches was one of the weirdest things to me. But, I think it does cut back on waste. The milk contrary to what some might assume does not go bad. The pouch is cut in the corner and pouring is as simple as it looks.
posted by Fizz at 7:37 AM on March 4, 2011
OK, can someone answer a question that has plagued me with regard to solar rooftop panels?
What do you do when it's time to replace the shingles?
posted by docpops at 7:44 AM on March 4, 2011
What do you do when it's time to replace the shingles?
posted by docpops at 7:44 AM on March 4, 2011
It's funny that they compare solar photovoltaics vs solar thermals but they don't mention geothermal heating/cooling (e.g. heat pumps). What's the score there? Geothermals are low maintenance and work year-round day or night. How do they compare costwise?
posted by storybored at 7:47 AM on March 4, 2011
posted by storybored at 7:47 AM on March 4, 2011
I bought some grass fed beef once. It tasted like whatever nasty weeds the cows had been eating.
posted by Daddy-O at 8:01 AM on March 4, 2011
posted by Daddy-O at 8:01 AM on March 4, 2011
"If you are going to be eating finger foods after doing something gross, the blower isn't really an option."
I like those blowers less and less. One of the public washrooms near my work has those "Turbo" hand dryers that try to blow the skin right off you. It's a well-used facility, and if you don't do a good job on washing, that blower is just the thing to aerosolize the water on people's hands and get it moving around the room in bacteria-filled droplets.
posted by sneebler at 8:28 AM on March 4, 2011
I like those blowers less and less. One of the public washrooms near my work has those "Turbo" hand dryers that try to blow the skin right off you. It's a well-used facility, and if you don't do a good job on washing, that blower is just the thing to aerosolize the water on people's hands and get it moving around the room in bacteria-filled droplets.
posted by sneebler at 8:28 AM on March 4, 2011
Did anyone else see this article linked from the hand-drying piece? Apparently those hot air blowers actually make your hands dirtier.
posted by Pyry at 8:50 AM on March 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Pyry at 8:50 AM on March 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
It's best to avoid public washrooms of any kind. And carry around a giant bottle of this.
posted by Fizz at 8:51 AM on March 4, 2011
posted by Fizz at 8:51 AM on March 4, 2011
>I'm only doing it to get everyone else's skank of my hands, I'm not worried about my own. I'm not a surgeon. Just work at the Subway.
I never thought about it, but the 'Employee's must wash hands' mandate never says anything about how to dry them. ew?
posted by fuzzypantalones at 8:58 PM on March 4 [1 favorite +] [!]
Not everyone's pantalones are fuzzy, you know. I don't see what the big deal is.
posted by mingo_clambake at 9:00 AM on March 4, 2011
I never thought about it, but the 'Employee's must wash hands' mandate never says anything about how to dry them. ew?
posted by fuzzypantalones at 8:58 PM on March 4 [1 favorite +] [!]
Not everyone's pantalones are fuzzy, you know. I don't see what the big deal is.
posted by mingo_clambake at 9:00 AM on March 4, 2011
If you really, really want to know the greenest solution to all of your problems.
posted by wcfields at 9:34 AM on March 4, 2011
posted by wcfields at 9:34 AM on March 4, 2011
docpops, first you take down the solar system, then re-do the shingles, then re-mount the collectors. My friends did it last summer, and it was an opportunity to do maintenance on the solar system. As a guy who's done a few roofs, I would definitely defer to someone with speciality experience if someone wanted that kind of gear handled.
posted by wenestvedt at 9:53 AM on March 4, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by wenestvedt at 9:53 AM on March 4, 2011 [2 favorites]
Nice. Now someone tell me if I should use paper towels or electric dryers in the wash room.
Nicholson Baker, The Mezzanine, 1988:
"Is it, in fact, an efficient, environmentally upright user of the electricity produced by burning fossil fuels? No—there is no off button that would allow you to curtail the thirty-second dry time—you're forced to participate in waste. Does it prevent chapping? Dry air? Is it quick? It is slow. Is it more thorough? It is less thorough. Does it protect us from the hazards of disease? You will catch a cold quicker from the warm metal public dome you press to start the blower than from plucking a sterile piece of paper that no human has ever held from a towel dispenser, clasping it in your very own hands to dry them, and throwing it away. Come to your senses. World! The tone of authority and public-spiritedness that surrounds these falsehoods is outrageous! How can you let your marketing men continue to make claims that sound like the 1890s ads for patent medicines or electroactive copper wrist bracelets that are printed on the Formica on the tables at Wendy's? You are selling a hot-air machine that works well and lasts for decades: a simple, possibly justifiable means for the fast-food chains to save money on paper products. Say that or say nothing."
posted by chavenet at 10:24 AM on March 4, 2011
Nicholson Baker, The Mezzanine, 1988:
"Is it, in fact, an efficient, environmentally upright user of the electricity produced by burning fossil fuels? No—there is no off button that would allow you to curtail the thirty-second dry time—you're forced to participate in waste. Does it prevent chapping? Dry air? Is it quick? It is slow. Is it more thorough? It is less thorough. Does it protect us from the hazards of disease? You will catch a cold quicker from the warm metal public dome you press to start the blower than from plucking a sterile piece of paper that no human has ever held from a towel dispenser, clasping it in your very own hands to dry them, and throwing it away. Come to your senses. World! The tone of authority and public-spiritedness that surrounds these falsehoods is outrageous! How can you let your marketing men continue to make claims that sound like the 1890s ads for patent medicines or electroactive copper wrist bracelets that are printed on the Formica on the tables at Wendy's? You are selling a hot-air machine that works well and lasts for decades: a simple, possibly justifiable means for the fast-food chains to save money on paper products. Say that or say nothing."
posted by chavenet at 10:24 AM on March 4, 2011
Rather than get caught up in minor considerations, the greenest thing we can do is to ask: in what area of my life does what I'm doing have the most negative impact. Then make choices to lessen that impact.
As an American, I think of 'green' as an attitude or approach that displaces bad habits we've fallen into. What floats a boat is the displacement created by its emptiness. Five years without a car has taught me that what I used cars for was getting together (getting to events, meetings), getting supplies, and getting away. Finding ways to replace that loss is a work in progress, but the funds freed up ($10K for gas alone) help.
The web has some pretty decent sites to help us learn about options; this one, for example, is a well designed overview. Interesting that the Feds don't have a miraculously great website for green learning, isn't it? What would that cost (compared to the $600B/yr for imported oil)? Speaks volumes.
posted by Twang at 12:46 PM on March 4, 2011 [2 favorites]
As an American, I think of 'green' as an attitude or approach that displaces bad habits we've fallen into. What floats a boat is the displacement created by its emptiness. Five years without a car has taught me that what I used cars for was getting together (getting to events, meetings), getting supplies, and getting away. Finding ways to replace that loss is a work in progress, but the funds freed up ($10K for gas alone) help.
The web has some pretty decent sites to help us learn about options; this one, for example, is a well designed overview. Interesting that the Feds don't have a miraculously great website for green learning, isn't it? What would that cost (compared to the $600B/yr for imported oil)? Speaks volumes.
posted by Twang at 12:46 PM on March 4, 2011 [2 favorites]
Is it, in fact, an efficient, environmentally upright user of the electricity produced by burning fossil fuels? No—there is no off button that would allow you to curtail the thirty-second dry time—you're forced to participate in waste. Does it prevent chapping? Dry air? Is it quick? It is slow. Is it more thorough? It is less thorough.
I don't know, the Dyson Airblade thingies are activated by your hands going into them and coming back out, so they don't keep going for 30 seconds, they use unheated air and I have found them very thorough.
Now we just need pedals on the floor to open the doors for us and we are all set.
posted by misha at 2:55 PM on March 4, 2011
I don't know, the Dyson Airblade thingies are activated by your hands going into them and coming back out, so they don't keep going for 30 seconds, they use unheated air and I have found them very thorough.
Now we just need pedals on the floor to open the doors for us and we are all set.
posted by misha at 2:55 PM on March 4, 2011
I wipe my hands on my jeans.
So where will your jeans be the next time I need to dry my hands?
posted by doctor_negative at 4:00 PM on March 4, 2011
So where will your jeans be the next time I need to dry my hands?
posted by doctor_negative at 4:00 PM on March 4, 2011
Milk pouch? How is it I have never seen this? (I am in Wa, US). I love glass bottled choc milk from twin brook creamery, tho.
posted by uni verse at 6:59 PM on March 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by uni verse at 6:59 PM on March 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
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