Quote:
Originally Posted by pilotbob
Personally, I don't think paper is really an ecological problem. Paper is a renewable resource and is also bio degradable...I really wonder if the manufacture of an eBook really has less of an impact on the environment compare to the use of less paper. Considering the chemical and such used in the production of the reader, and the waste that is produced once it is passed its useful lifetime.
BOb
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Actually paper processing uses a lot of energy and chemicals. Granted, in some processes the energy is recouped from the burning of the by-products of the paper, but it's still burning paper for energy. There's also the issue of disposal; once you're done with it, it still needs to be hauled off and put in a landfill or recycled, which takes more energy and space.
So even though it's renewable and biodegradable, there's still an environmental impact from the making of the paper, transporting it and disposing of it. I'm not sure whether the impact from making an ebook reader is more or less over the lifetime of the device, but I can tell you from personal experience that I produce a lot less waste by reading the NY Times on my reader than I do buying it every day.