Chalk vs dry-erase

[RanOverByATrain]

Which would be more vegan and/or better for the environment?

[brimstoneSalad]

Good question. It would probably depend on the particular product.

Some or maybe even most chalk is made with clay binders, which may contain silicate which would be in the chalk dust, and could cause permanent health problems if inhaled. Then you'd have to otherwise look at the embodied energy in production.

A dry or wet erase marker which could be refilled would probably beat chalk, but if you're throwing out the plastic tubes that might be an issue.
One made with recycled and recyclable tubes might be better.
Dry and wet erase markers are probably safer health-wise. Wet erase in particular, since they don't produce dust.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wet_wipe_marker

Additionally, the paste is less likely to cause allergic reaction than dry-erase alcohol or chalk dust.
[...]
The contents of these markers are: water, resin, and titanium dioxide.[1]

So, I'd say neither chalk nor dry erase. Go with wet erase. Try to find a brand in which the marker itself is recyclable and made from recycled materials, and uses minimal packaging. Maybe even one that's refillable (although that's less likely to be possible to find).

http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/452702/Staedtler-Lumocolor-80percent-Recycled-Nonpermanent-Markers/

Lumocolor is 80% recycled. But it also looks like a lot of plastic packaging, so I'm not sure what that means. Maybe it's just the pens.

Anyway, for health reasons (your health and that of others in the area) I'd say wet erase.

[Red]

This is like the paper towels vs hand dryers thing. Paper towels are better to clean your hands with, and hand dryers are more environmentally friendly. Personally, I just shake my hands as fast as possible to get as much water off as I can, and I just rub my hands together to get rid of the remaining water. If it's like a fancy place where they have cloth towels, I still wouldn't use them, because they're probably just as bad as hand dryers (BTW, for those who have acne, whenever cleaning your face, use paper towels to dry off, or pat your face with a regular towel. I heard that from my friend's doctor).

Well what does everyone else think?

[ThunderKiss65]

Chalk is certainly more envripmental friendly than dry eraser markers. Dry erase markers not only use plastic but they also use petroleum based dyes which is basically the same as fossil fuels... So yea chalk wins

[ThunderKiss65]

This is like the paper towels vs hand dryers thing. Paper towels are better to clean your hands with, and hand dryers are more environmentally friendly. Personally, I just shake my hands as fast as possible to get as much water off as I can, and I just rub my hands together to get rid of the remaining water. If it's like a fancy place where they have cloth towels, I still wouldn't use them, because they're probably just as bad as hand dryers (BTW, for those who have acne, whenever cleaning your face, use paper towels to dry off, or pat your face with a regular towel. I heard that from my friend's doctor).

Well what does everyone else think?

Please use a paper towel next time you are in a public restroom. When you fling the water every where you are also flinging any of your germs that did not terminated everywhere! If you take a paper towel you will easily be able to dry your hands off and any of your left over germs will go straight into the garbage can with your paper towel and not all over the bathroom.

[brimstoneSalad]

Chalk is certainly more envripmental friendly than dry eraser markers. Dry erase markers not only use plastic but they also use petroleum based dyes which is basically the same as fossil fuels... So yea chalk wins

Chalk might be slightly more environmentally friendly, but it's terrible for your respiratory system and that of everybody who may breathe the dust.
Look up silicosis.

Please use a paper towel next time you are in a public restroom. When you fling the water every where you are also flinging any of your germs that did not terminated everywhere! If you take a paper towel you will easily be able to dry your hands off and any of your left over germs will go straight into the garbage can with your paper towel and not all over the bathroom.

And here you argue for something that's less environmentally friendly, to preserve human health, despite the health risk here (from washed hands, and large droplets of water which are not much of an aerosol) being less than that of chalk.

It's funny, did you know the paper towel industry has actually been creating this propaganda about paper towels being so much more hygienic? I never knew there was a paper towel lobby until recently. When propaganda favors buying a product, particularly a product that's falling out of popularity due to environmental harm, we should be a little skeptical.

I'm confused: which is more important, human health or environment? These two selections together indicate a strong preference for the latter in the first case, and then a strong preference for the former in the second. There seems to be a contradiction.