Green is Good!

[VaporPunk]

Found this article on the interwebs...

If tablet power consumption is that low I imagine a Kindle/Your E-Reader uses even less energy. Not only does a paper book kill the trees that I love to hug, but add in the energy cost of creating them, shipping them to retailers or readers, etc...

I think I might start using my tablet more too.

[taustin]

It's a lot more complicated than how much power a tablet uses while you're on it. There's a lot more energy involved in making one than in making a book. And green means a lot more than just power consumed. Computer circuit boards are known to involve a lot of very message manufacturing processes, and there's the disposal of the worn out ones afterwards. Paper books can be put in a landfill; computer stuff cannot (especially the lithium based batteries).

I've never seen a clear-cut comparsion that I found plausible on the complete life cycle of paper books vs ebook readers. When you factor in the stuff people do on tables vs desktops, or televisions, I doubt such a comparison is even possible.

Interesting point, though.

[VaporPunk]

Originally Posted by taustin

It's a lot more complicated than how much power a tablet uses while you're on it. There's a lot more energy involved in making one than in making a book. And green means a lot more than just power consumed. Computer circuit boards are known to involve a lot of very message manufacturing processes, and there's the disposal of the worn out ones afterwards. Paper books can be put in a landfill; computer stuff cannot (especially the lithium based batteries).

I've never seen a clear-cut comparsion that I found plausible on the complete life cycle of paper books vs ebook readers. When you factor in the stuff people do on tables vs desktops, or televisions, I doubt such a comparison is even possible.

Interesting point, though.

You're correct, of course, its never that simple and the comparison I made is unfair. I think quite a few electronic components can be recycled these days, though, so I'm guessing the edge goes to the e-reader vs paper books but can't really back that up without doing some research.

[DrNefario]

I'm pretty sure paper books consume very little power.

I was wondering just yesterday if a solar-powered reader would be possible. I have no idea what kind of current you need to refresh a page of eInk.

[xg4bx]

"The heart of this dilemma is how to compare the ecological impact of printing books with that using an e-reader, and figure out based on your own reading habits which is a greener option. But doing so isn't always easy.

"There's still not a wide consensus on how to measure the carbon impact related to paper," says Darby Hoover, senior resource specialist for the Natural Resources Defense Council. As a general indication, a March 2008 report by the Book Industry Study Group found that the U.S. publishing industry uses more than 1.5 million metric tons of paper each year, and a 2006 figure estimated carbon emissions at 8.85 pounds of carbon dioxide per book.

On the other side of the equation, few e-reader manufacturers disclose the environmental impact of manufacturing and running their devices. Raz Godelnik, co-founder of Eco-Libris ( www.ecolibris.net), which promotes the adoption of green practices in the book industry, says, "Apple is the only company being transparent about their devices (the iPad and iPad2)."

From Eco-Libris' analysis of the iPad2, the break-even point at which the device has a lower carbon impact than an equivalent production of print books is 14. A widely cited study by research firm Cleantech Group found that the carbon emitted in the life cycle of an Amazon Kindle is fully offset after the first year of use, as long as the owner downloads more than 22 books in a year, and additional years of use result in net carbon savings equivalent to an average of 168 kilograms of carbon dioxide.

Verdict: While pinpointing the exact number of books one must read to rationalize the switch to an e-reader is tricky, it's safe to say that someone who reads fewer than 10 books each year is better off with physical books, printed on paper with recycled content, if possible.



Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...#ixzz1yVHiMyIy

[MikeB1972]

Originally Posted by DrNefario

I'm pretty sure paper books consume very little power.

I was wondering just yesterday if a solar-powered reader would be possible. I have no idea what kind of current you need to refresh a page of eInk.

I just use a seperate solar charger, not plugged any of my books into a wall socket for 3 years and short of firmware upgrades it never gets plugged in to a computer either (Also charge my phone 90% of the time from it as well).

[andyh2000]

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

I just use a seperate solar charger, not plugged any of my books into a wall socket for 3 years and short of firmware upgrades it never gets plugged in to a computer either (Also charge my phone 90% of the time from it as well).

Which charger is that? And it manages this in the UK with our light levels - impressive.

Andrew

[MikeB1972]

Originally Posted by andyh2000

Which charger is that? And it manages this in the UK with our light levels - impressive.

Andrew

This one
http://www.powerbee.co.uk/solar-phon...e-charger.html
And in the winter I also use this big honking panel.
http://www.powerbee.co.uk/solar-phon...owerpanel.html

I just leave it angled on the windowsill facing the sun.

To be fair I picked the phone for it's low power consumption and eReaders take sod all power. Wouldn't try to keep an iPhone charged up with one of these

[andyh2000]

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

This one
http://www.powerbee.co.uk/solar-phon...e-charger.html
And in the winter I also use this big honking panel.
http://www.powerbee.co.uk/solar-phon...owerpanel.html

I just leave it angled on the windowsill facing the sun.

To be fair I picked the phone for it's low power consumption and eReaders take sod all power. Wouldn't try to keep an iPhone charged up with one of these

Thanks. That looks nice, especially for approx £25 for the basic kit. Might have to get one of those.

Andrew

[Mike L]

This sort of solar charger is great for emergencies and when you're on the move. But, frankly, the amount of energy (or money) they save is pretty negligible, especially when compared with your total household consumption.

The total energy consumption to charge an e-reader, MP3, phone and camera over the course of a year is typically less than a few minutes of running a central heating and hot water system. And evern less that a single short journey by car.

By all means, use a solar charger if you want to cut your energy use to an absolute minimum. But, first, turn your thermostat down by half a degree (or put on a sweater next time you're feeling chilly). Or use a bike or your feet instead of a car for one short journey per year.

Mike

[Phogg]

Originally Posted by taustin

It's a lot more complicated than how much power a tablet uses while you're on it. There's a lot more energy involved in making one than in making a book. And green means a lot more than just power consumed. Computer circuit boards are known to involve a lot of very message manufacturing processes, and there's the disposal of the worn out ones afterwards. Paper books can be put in a landfill; computer stuff cannot (especially the lithium based .

So your underlying premise is to compare the resources used to manufacture just one book and maybe read it in the dark ... To a tablet which may hold several thousand books?

As if people were making a new tablet for each one?

[mr ploppy]

If everyone switches from paper to electronic devices, all those managed tree plantations will stop being profitable so they will switch to something else instead. Most likely property development, since we're all short on living space. Then we will have a lot less trees converting CO2 to oxygen. Or they might switch to some other crop production, which will increase the use of pesticides. Or they might even switch to farm animal production and increase methane levels.

[elcreative]

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

If everyone switches from paper to electronic devices, all those managed tree plantations will stop being profitable so they will switch to something else instead. Most likely property development, since we're all short on living space. Then we will have a lot less trees converting CO2 to oxygen. Or they might switch to some other crop production, which will increase the use of pesticides. Or they might even switch to farm animal production and increase methane levels.

Just so... as usual the greenies' approach doesn't bother with facts before making assumptions and pronouncements... reducing paper usage means less need for pulp trees, no need to replace those used and a move to alternate uses which are likely to be a lot less green than trees... guess they can go hug a timber-frame house...

[wyndslash]

Originally Posted by elcreative

Just so... as usual the greenies' approach doesn't bother with facts before making assumptions and pronouncements... reducing paper usage means less need for pulp trees, no need to replace those used and a move to alternate uses which are likely to be a lot less green than trees... guess they can go hug a timber-frame house...

the brand of bond paper that we use uses tree plantations i think that's a good thing and that's really economically friendly, at least in my opinion

[Rob Lister]

No one here has mentioned the extra technology that goes into producing an e-reader. Tons more than what goes into producing a paper book. Do you all think that technology is an infinite resource. At this rate, we're going to use up all the technology that could better be used for other things, like making windmills spin where there is no wind.

Be advised, Poe's Law applies.