The growing use of electronic readers, such as Amazon’s Kindle, have left some pondering the true environmental impact of “e-readers.” Amazon.com, the Kindle’s creator, markets the device as an ecologically sensitive alternative to print publications. While the paper savings involved in ditching books for electronic reading devices would seem an obvious environmental boon, some have questioned whether the Kindle has a darker, less Earth-friendly side. The Kindle’s most obvious liability is its need for electrical power, but the larger uncertainty that has clouded its potential ecological merits is its life-cycle costs. From cradle to grave, are the Kindle and its kind truly a step in the right direction?
The manufacture of consumer electronics is notoriously resource and energy intensive. Whether it’s a cell phone or a laptop, these devices contain rare-earth metals. Rare-earth metals are, well, rare. Subsequently, those items require that large quantities of energy are mined and processed. Because of this and other factors, 81% of the life-cycle energy costs associated with a single computer come from its manufacture, only 19% from its operation. In other words, the computer you’re using right now, in all the years you’ll own it, will never consume more energy than was required to create it. Because of this and other issues, the Kindle’s green claim has been questioned. Until recently, however, no one had crunched the numbers. For those of you who own a Kindle, the news is good.
A report from the Cleantech Group dives into the nitty-gritty of the e-reader phenomenon. While it found the Kindle and other e-readers come with a high carbon footprint tied to manufacturing, it is offset within the first year of use. The Kindle, it turns out, is very energy efficient, and even more eco friendly when compared to books.
The average book represents the release of 16 pounds of carbon dioxide, almost the same amount created from burning a gallon of gas. What’s not factored into this report is the additional energy consumers expend in purchasing their books (driving to the mall, or having them shipped to their door).
Even leaving this added energy investment out of the equation, a single Kindle could prevent the release of 370 lbs of CO2 every year. As the Kindle and other e-readers become more popular, the Cleantech Group forecasts they could prevent the release of 22 billion pounds (9.9 billion kg) of carbon dioxide in the period between 2009 and 2012. That’s an impressive figure.
In a perfect world, walking to the used bookstore and purchasing a previously owned book would be the ideal “green” path to tread, but for many, this isn’t feasible. If you are a voracious reader who is also environmentally conscious, it might be time to consider making the leap into the realm of the digitally bound book.
Written by Marc Swanson
Editor, GoingGreenToday
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