Earth and Body Friendly

I’ve decided to write a series of articles on using technology in a way that benefits ourselves and the Earth. A guide, if you will, on using modern technology for good instead of evil.

Modern technology can be green

There are plenty of things in our modern world that the older generation, or those more cynical amongst us, may consider to be bad/evil/suspect/unfriendly (pick your adjective), but I’m going to focus on ways we can use technology to improve our lives and/or be more environmentally friendly.

I’ll start off with eBooks.

I love reading. I love books. I don’t even recall learning to read. I remember only reading almost anything and everything from a very young age. I used to have quite an extensive library of books until a few years ago when I moved overseas with my (ex-)husband and we were limited to bringing only 350 kg (approximately 771 pounds) worth of our belongings with us. Anyone who’s moved house knows that a box of books is rather heavy, so almost all of my books were sold in a garage sale or given away.

eBooks are convenient

By extension, I also love eBooks. I have quite a collection. Far more than I’d like to admit to, in fact. I’ve read most of them on my previous gadget, my Palm TX, but I’ve recently acquired a new gadget, and so some of my collection is now able to be read on my new iPhone.

eBooks can be read on purpose built devices, such as Amazon’sKindle, on aPDA, some mobile phones including the iPhone, or similarly, theiPod touch.

The convenience factor is a huge one. eBooks are made of bits of data. Digital data weighs nothing (okay, it may weigh something, but let’s not get pedantic), therefore you have immediate access to a whole library of eBooks on one small device that you can carry with you in a pocket or a bag. On many occastions, I’ve been so thankful to have my eBooks with me when I’ve been travelling or even waiting in a long and slow-moving queue.

More environmentally friendly than the paper version

From an environmental viewpoint, can you imagine the amount of paper it saves? It seems that even books about being environmentally friendly are not often printed on recycled paper, so to buy the eBook version of a book means you’re saving trees. eBooks are usually bought online, so it also means you don’t have to use any form of transport to get to a book store. Mind you, this is not necessarily a positive thing for everyone. For some people, half the fun of deciding what book to buy is the trip to the book shop to look through all the books. For me, when I usually have an impatient five year old in tow, not so much fun.

Some small disadvantages

One thing I don’t like about eBooks is that I don’t get to see the cover of the book everytime I ‘pick it up’, so to speak, so I find that I forget the title of the book. Then, when discussing books I’ve read, or on the few occasions when I do go to an actual book shop, I sometimes can’t recall immediately if I’ve read that particular book.

Another disadvantage is that you can’t share a lot of eBooks. There are plenty of free eBooks available with which you can do pretty much whatever you like, but most of the ones you purchase yourself are locked to only a certain number of devices. A good eBook store will allow you to change the device IDs, such as when you change the device you use or get a new computer, but the only legal way you can share them is to lend the actual reading device to someone. (It’s interesting to note that ‘real’ books are also sold under the condition that you don’t lend it, resell it, etc. It’s true. Take a look in the first few pages of almost any book. It’s there in black and white.)

Personal benefits

• An eBook weighs nothing. You can store all your books in one place and it’s as only heavy as the weight of the device.
• They’re good for people with small dwellings as they take up no physical space. A whole collection of eBooks is only as large as the eBook device itself.
• eBooks are usually a bit cheaper than the hard copy version.
• You can carry all of your books wherever you go.
• You don’t need a night light to read in the dark. The reading device has a light built into it, so you’re less likely to disturb others in a darkened room.
• You can read in almost any position you like since you don’t need to face the book towards a light source.
• The eBook opens automatically to where you’re up to.

Environmental benefits

• No printing is required, therefore no trees are used in the production of the book.
• No greenhouse gases are produced in travelling to a book shop.

Drawbacks

• You have to turn off your device when ascending or decending in an aeroplane.
• You can’t share the books.
• If your batteries run out, you can’t read the book anymore.
• When you change your device, there might not be a suitable eBook reader for the new device, therefore the older books can’t be read on the new device. This is easily enough remedied by keeping the old device.
• Some devices may be difficult to read in bright sunlight. My Palm TX wasn’t so easy to use in bright outdoor conditions, but I’ve found my iPhone to work much better in this regard.

As a matter of interest, my favourite online eBook store is Fictionwise.

Possibly related posts:

1. Using technology for good instead of evil: rechargeable batteries
2. The DivaCup menstrual cup
3. Clothes swap parties
4. Envirosax bags - sexy green
5. Turn off your lights for one hour