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E-readers better for the environment than books
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Bad news for intellectuals who like to turn the pages of a book – environmental analysis has found that using electronic book readers such as Amazon’s Kindle and Apple’s iPad can reduce an individual’s environmental impact.
According to Washington Post blogger Brian Palmer, reading a healthy number of books at a normal pace electronically is more environmentally friendly than hitting the bookstore – beating their paper counterpart on carbon, water and toxic chemicals.
If the production costs of a book and an e-reader were compared side-by-side, the Kindle would be the equivalent of "reusable cloth diapers" – cutting manufacturing and transport costs, Palmer writes.
While Palmer points out that producing one Kindle is clearly harder on the environment "than printing a single paperback copy of ‘Pride and Prejudice,’" statistics show that in the end the number of books saved will outweigh production costs.
Citing a figures from the environmental consulting firm Cleantech, Palmer writes that production of a single book generates around 7.5 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents while Apple’s iPad produces 130 kilograms of carbon dioxide. Yet, by the time a reader had completed their 18th e-book, they would have gotten out of the "environmental red."
If consumers considered water, the publishing industry consumes altogether 153 billion gallons of water annually – taking 7 gallons to produce the average book. E-readers gobble up 79 gallons, but after reading approximately a dozen books, this debt is paid off as well.
However, for those of us unable to afford the devices, Palmer suggests purchasing books online. "Brick-and-mortar bookstores are very inefficient because they stock way more books than they can sell. Between a quarter and a third of a bookstore’s volumes will ultimately be shipped back to the publisher and on to recycling centers or landfills," he writes.
Libraries are also a good resource for those who like the feel of paper between their fingers. However, the average library member checks out only 7.4 books per year – the average e-reader consumes 3 per month.
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