Ziptrek Ecotours

Kindle Me This

AUGUST 2011

As the waves of technological advancements continue to bombard us with exciting new products, a very interesting conflict is emerging. The demand for products that are the most unique and advanced irrefutably exists, however the public is often simultaneously demanding that these products have a sustainable bent to their existence. This decidedly ironic tug of war begs the question – can new technology make our lives more sustainable?

There are some very obvious and definite ‘yeses’ to that question with regard to technology like cars, heavy industry, and energy production. But the question mark becomes more defined when examining personal electronics – an excellent example being the hit new world of E-Books and E-Readers.

E-Books are simply digital versions of full-length publications, read either via E-readers or on tablet computers such as iPads. The most well known of the E-reader brands are the Amazon ‘Kindle’, the Sony ‘Reader’, and the Barnes and Noble ‘Nook’. E-Books can be downloaded or borrowed library-style. The portable literary world is not limited to books – major newspapers are available on E-Readers and tablets, and universities such as Princeton even providing students with textbooks, journal articles and class notes via the Kindle DX.

To those of us who are avid readers and often purchase our books new (who doesn’t love the feel of a brand new, crisp hardcover), E-Books truly seem like a miracle solution. After the initial cost of the device, the books are cheap, essentially unlimited, and – the crux of the issue for the environmentalist at heart – the paper from those 20 some odd books we read a year was never required.

The debate on the benefits of E-books from a sustainability perspective is sure to grow, however at the moment we remain rather blissfully suspended in the tide of benefits – reduced paper consumption, reduced pollution associated with the transportation of books, reduced energy required during the production of books, and the list continues.

The benefits are undeniably excellent. Yet, the untold side of the E-Reader brings us inevitably back to the struggle between technology and sustainability. Naysayers of E-Readers and tablet computers note the fact that they don’t have the longevity of books – where books can be borrowed or given away until their pages fall out, E-Readers have a lifespan defined by the length of time that it takes for the newest technology to come out and the previous model to be replaced. Production and transportation of these devices require resources and energy as books do; they must be charged throughout their life span; and, inevitably, will contribute to our growing e-waste problem.

So – are E-Books the more environmentally friendly alternative? Who knows! Sustainability-related issues can be truly infuriating – if it’s not one thing, it’s another. The power of sustainable decisions is, of course, to be an informed consumer. If you cannot see your floor due to your compulsive Amazon.com book shopping sprees, perhaps its time to download books to your iPad. If you are a self-pronounced technology junkie and will toss the old Kindle out when the newest brand emerges, perhaps it’s time for a trip to the library. But no matter what heading you fit under, by considering all sides to a sustainability-related story (and keeping bandwagons at an arm’s length) it is easy to make the right decisions for yourself and your family.

by: Alison McKenzie