Introduction to Paper Towels

In my research this week, I began exploring the field area of paper towel usage and wastage.  Weeks back, actually, before being introduced to the Genius Project, I watched a TED talk and the presenter, Joe Smith, talked about how much people waste paper towels and mainly due to the fact that they use way more paper towels than they need. He demonstrated a simple technique of how people can use less paper towels and get their hands fully dried. The technique is called “Shake and Fold” and it only includes the usage of one single paper towel. The individual has to shake his/her hands twelve times before wiping his/her hands with a single paper towel. I think this is a very brilliant method and a good way of trying to better the world because as I have learned through my research this week, 13 billion pounds of paper towels are used in the U.S every year. This is a very large number compared to how ridiculously light one sheet of paper towel is.  Smith also suggested that if all Americans used one less paper towel a day, 571, 230,000 pounds of paper would be spared. My research has also informed me that 17 trees and 20,000 gallons of water are used to make one ton of paper towels. Thus, it is necessary that we use less paper towels because  our environment is under attack when we waste paper towels.  Next week, I hope to go deeper into details of how, where and who paper towels wastage affects aside from our trees and water.