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In 2008 the US book and magazine industry sector was responsible for the felling of 125 million trees. Many publishing firms are environmentally aware and use sustainably sources for their paper supply. In simple terms, they plant a new tree for every one they cut down. However, this is not yet universal and even those who do source responsibly generally fail to take account of the vast amounts of both water and thermal energy used in the process of paper manufacture.
The carbon footprint of the average book is 7.5 kg of CO2 during the course of its lifetime. However, if you jump in your car, drive down to the bookstore, purchase your book, and then drive home again, that book’s carbon footprint is immediately doubled. It’s surprising that such relatively small actions like this make such a large difference.
So it should be no surprise to learn that electronic book readers – such as the Amazon Kindle – are kinder to the environment. Even aside from the fact that no paper, ink or water are used in the production of electronic books, the method of delivery – download from the internet using either standard connection or 3G wireless technology – is considerably more environmentally friendly.
Of course, it would be wrong to suggest that e-book readers have no environmental impact. Clearly they consume both energy and materials in the course of the manufacturing process of the reader device. Additionally, they require electrical power when in use. However, even when these factors are taken into consideration, they are still significantly better for the environment than the continued use of conventional printed books, newspapers and magazines.
It is estimated that in 2009, e-book readers will be “carbon neutral” – the CO2 saved by the use of electronic media will almost exactly balance the CO2 used to manufacture and power the devices. Looking forward to the not so distant future, as usage increases, the manufacture and operating “cost” will be more than offset by the savings achieved by avoiding the manufacture and distribution of conventional paper based books and magazines.
The majority of people will purchase their Kindle reader based on the fact that it’s convenient, trendy and that it offers a way for them to save money on books. The fact that it’s more environmentally friendly will probably be a secondary consideration for many – even so, it will have a significant positive impact in the future.
Treehugger
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[...] Now many are arguing that e-readers are not a flashy luxury, but yet another way for us to help protect the environment. Recent studies show that, especially for heavy readers, e-books can significantly reduce our [...]
[...] Now many are arguing that e-readers are not a flashy luxury, but yet another way for us to help protect the environment. Recent studies show that, especially for heavy readers, e-books can significantly <a [...]
[...] I thought this was coming. And the painful thing is, they’re right. I’ve got a good-sized forest sitting on my [...]