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Recently books have met stiff competition: the e-reader. A question that has been arising often is: Are e-readers more environmentally-friendly than traditional paper-bound books? This question really depends on how avid of a reader you are.
According to an article by Jennifer Schwab in the Huffington Post titled, “E-Readers Versus Old Fashioned Books – Which is Greener?,” the answer comes down to sustainability.
New technology is designed to be replaced every couple of years or so. Take for example the iPod or the iPad. There have been many new versions of the iPod. Personally, this summer I bought an iPod Touch and found out a month later that a new version had been released. It was kind of disappointing; however, it is the cycle of technology. Something newer, bigger, and better will always be on the horizon.
Have you ever thought about what happens to old technology? Some places charge customers to recycle it and others will recycle certain items free of charge. Still, what happens to the non-recyclable parts of e-waste? Where does it end up? I suspect some people simply throw these types of items into the trash, which contain chemicals that could be hazardous to the environment.
Almost all books on the other hand, can be recycled. Books are primarily made from paper, which is a recyclable material.
One advantage books have over e-readers is books can be shared, sold, or borrowed between people. Of course, e-readers can be used the same way. However, I believe people are more willing to let someone borrow a book than their expensive piece of technology, such as the e-reader. If I lent someone a book and something happened to it, I would be upset. However, replacing a book (depending on the type) would probably cost significantly less than replacing an e-reader.
Being in college, I am constantly flipping through pages of textbooks, highlighting, underlining, and annotating. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think you can highlight or underline as you read on a e-reader. One thing I know for sure is you definitely can’t write on it!
Some colleges encourage students to get e-readers so they don’t have to carry heavy textbooks, which can strain people’s shoulders and backs. The weight of a full backpack or shoulder bag can lead to back problems. I agree, my textbooks do get heavy after a while. However, to me it is worth the extra weight to be able to flip through and write notes on the paper pages. So far, no back problems!
E-readers definitely have advantages though. The devices are lightweight, portable, and give people easy access to thousands of books. Literally, people have a bookstore at their fingertips. In today’s society, time is of the essence and having the convenience of an entire bookstore at your fingertips is appealing to many. It takes out the hassle of driving to the store and searching for books, which in turn saves valuable time.
According to Schwab’s sources, unless you are an avid reader, the energy required to manufacture and dispose of an e-reader is probably more than what’s needed to create a traditional paper book. In Schwab’s article, she referenced a study which concluded “e-readers are the more environmentally responsible choice only if you are reading in excess of 23 books per year.” On the other hand, the e-reader industry is relatively new and it is hard to determine the actual impact it has had on the environment, whether good or bad.
In conclusion, if you only read every now and then, it is probably more environmentally-friendly if you stick with paper-bound books. However, if you are an avid reader and prefer electronics to paper, the e-reader is probably the best choice for you.
For more information about e-readers versus books, check out this blog post from the New York Times titled “Are E-Readers Green than Books?”
