With all technologies, they come with pros and cons. Yes, printed books aren’t limited by battery life, yes, printed books don’t require a platform or device in order to be read, but e-books themselves don't require chopping down tree plantations to make paper, not to mention the amount of water and other by-products produced when paper is produced for printed books, and the carbon footprint left behind due to shipping the books out to retail stores. In the end, e-books are just digital data. E-books that aren’t downloaded don’t get returned to publishers only to be burned, thrown away, or recycled. In fact, the carbon emitted by an e-book reader is offset by the first year of its use.
However, consumer electronics are known for containing various toxic materials in their material. Sony have declared that their e-book readers are free from such materials (PVC – polyvinyl chloride), though inquires to Amazon about their Kindle e-book readers have gone unanswered.
Of course, if one is so worried about the carbon footprint of printed books, one can always revert to old technology by going to the public library.
Of course, if one is so worried about the carbon footprint of printed books, one can always revert to old technology by going to the public library.
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