Gotta hand it to ya

Search for "dryers versus paper" on the Internet in one form or another and be prepared for more than 44,000 sites pleading their particular case.

The main points of contention from a user perspective seem to be which one is the quickest, which one does the best job, which one is the most hygienic, and the degree of environmental friendliness.

I have to admit I'm torn between the two hand-drying tools. I like the idea of using paper - something quiet and tangible in my hands that gets the job done quickly and efficiently. You can even use it to avoid touching the flusher, taps and door handles. Alternatively, dryers are usually slow and noisy, although those new fandangled ones are a vast improvement and kind of fun to use. New or old, however, they don't do anything other than dry hands.

But what about hygiene and environmental friendliness? Well, there are many arguments on both sides of those equations, and even though at least 44,000 websites claim to have resolved the debate, I think the jury is still out. In any case, I have neither the time nor the inclination to investigate further.

So, rather than devote any more energy to the issue, I'm going to take matters into my own hands, so to speak. In lieu of either, I'll simply pack a small towel into my bag whenever I go out and use that instead. Fast, effective, clean and friendly. Might even spark a conversation about the issue of dryers versus paper. Now, what could be more fun than that?!