We curated at least 10 articles to bring you the impacts of the hairdryer on the environment. The conclusion is hairdryers consume lots of energy, similar to a refrigerator. It adds up if you use it for prolong period to completely dry your hair. The high heat also damages your hair and the environment. However, newer technology like a negative ions hair dryer can speed up the time to dry your hair while not damaging your hair, reducing frizz. Celebrity hairstylists recommend drying your hair 80% with a hairdryer before switching to a "cool shot" if available. A lower wattage dryer is more suitable for fragile and thin hair.
Impact of Hair Dryer to Greenhouse Gas and Global Warming
According to Livestrong, an average dryer uses 0.018 kilowatt-hours of electricity for 30 seconds, or around 2,200 watts of power total to run. This means that for one day, approximately 26.61 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions for usage to dry three times.
According to National Geographic hair dryers emit, on average, 57 lbs. of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year. Based on a teacher's government project, the hairdryer use 1200 to 1875 watts which is comparable to a refrigerator in your home. In Machester UK University, you are highly recommended to borrow an existing hairdryer or buy second-hand from charity instead of buying a new hairdryer to reduce wastage.
Appliance account for 15% of your total energy consumption and a hairdryer can be a big part of it. (greenblizzard.com)
What Celebrity Said About Hair Dryer
From a HuffPost, celebrity hairstylist Ryan Richman recommends that "If you're someone who wants to set curls or simply blow dry your bangs, purchase a dryer with a lower wattage because you're not necessarily trying to minimize your blow-dry time."
Hairstylist Josue Perez adds, "The high heat is available for really thick or coarse hair, and to remove excess moisture when the hair is really wet, but always remember to keep the dryer moving and never focus on one portion of the hair for too long. The low setting is perfect for thin or fragile hair. If your hair is only damp instead of wet, it is important to use the low heat setting to prevent over-drying. When your hair is about 80 percent dry, switch over to the cool shot. (huffpost.com)
Low Carbon Footprint Hair Dryer
At a fraction of the price, the Philips DryCare Essential claimed to produce 2100 watts of drying (drying rate of 5g/min) with 1600 watts (same as Dyson's). The ionic conditioning use charged negative ions to eliminate static, condition your hair, and smooth the hair cuticles to intensify hair's shine and glossiness. The outcome of using the dryer is smooth and frizz-free hair with a beautiful shine.
How To Save The Environment From Usage Of Hair Dryer
One way is to ditch the hairdryer completely. As silly as it sounds, there are people who are doing it. Not only it saves the environment from the energy needed for the lifecycle of a hairdryer, but you also save your hair from overheating or frizz too! It does take more time to dry your hair too using natural wind and might not be feasible if you have long hair and bathe before you sleep.
If you cannot ditch the hairdryer, buy a second-hand dryer or borrow from others. You will reduce the effort to build a new hairdryer. It is common to own multiple hairdryers because they are super cheap unless you have an expensive Dyson Supersonic. However, all the parts are sourced from the environment and assembled in a factory using clean water, moving electronics.
If you are already using a second-hand dryer, give yourself a pat on your shoulder. The next step is to reduce the length of usage. As recommended by celebrity hairstylists, you should only use a dryer till 80% and use the "cool shot" option or just naturally dry it. Although it sounds like you save only 20% of energy, it is actually more than that, as it uses more than 20% of the time to completely dry your hair. This is similar to charging your phone from 90% to 100% is harder than 0% to 10%. It is not proportional.
Another step to save the environment is to go for shorter hairstyles. Of course, you can go bald if you are a guy. For a girl, going for short hairstyle means that the time to dry your hair is significantly lower. This might not be suitable if you love your long hair but just an idea.
Lastly, before you dispose your old hairdryer, give it away to someone else. One's rubbish is another's treasure. Let someone use your hairdryer and extend the usage in the world before it gets buried in a landfill. If you really cannot find someone to reuse it, find a recycling center for electronic parts. This will give a new life to the parts too.
We hope all these ideas will save your fear of the impact of a hairdryer on the environment.