With gas prices at all time highs, are consumer’s open minded to alternative
fueled vehicles? According to a recent article by Consumer Reports, 7 out of 10 people
would give up their gas guzzlers to achieve increased fuel economy. However, the
problem with hybrid and flex fuel vehicles is high pricing and limited availability.
According to Edmunds.com, Myers Motors is in the process of releasing a one person
car with a base price of $25,000.00! You can purchase a luxury SUV for the same price
as this vehicle. Paying for increased fuel costs may be worth the sacrifice. Your vehicle
displays your personality and individuals do not want to be limited to the options
available when customizing their vehicle. Consider other alternatives, such as a
motorcycle.
I miss the good old days. Reaching for a paper towel to dry wet hands, I knew I could thoroughly dry them—the last step of good scrub. Nowadays when I pass them under the hand dryer, I get scratches from my rings and the moisture lingers between my fingers. Exiting the washroom, my towel would serve again as a grip for the door handle. Now I wonder how many hands have grabbed this handle that didn’t wash after using the toilet (the U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimates it’s about one-in-three).
Yes, I’ve heard the arguments; hand dryers will save trees and eliminate waste. But they aren’t as hygienic. James Dyson, the British inventor of an improved dryer, says existing models use 60-year old technology and are “painfully slow.” Taking up to 35-seconds to dry hands is longer than most people will wait. As people rub their hands to speed up the drying process bacteria are merely spread around. The hot air dryer also circulates washroom air, which is laden with fecal germs and bacteria.
I hope, the administration will compare the cost of paper towels with the hidden expenses of poor hygiene, increased utilities and updating outmoded equipment. Perhaps that old paper trail wasn’t so bad.
