In the time where also the TV series ‘Mad Men’ was taking place Howard Gossage the advertising pioneer and astute thinker who always challenged us to question the status quo. He was nicknamed “Socrates of San Francisco.” With his philosophy in mind, let’s explore why buying e-books is a more environmentally friendly choice than purchasing paper books.
Ideal for cookbooks and travel guides
Especially in terms of cookbooks and travel guides, an e-book is the right choice. With a tablet in the kitchen you can follow a recipe much more easily than with a nice book that takes up more space. And how often do you spill something on a page, a stain that is difficult to remove.
For our travel guides Unpleasant Puglia, Liguria in Sardinia, the same principle applies, isn’t it more convenient to handle a heavy book on the go, whether you’re in the car or walking, while you can easily consult it on your smartphone, you don’t even need to have an online connection for this. Except the 6 cookbooks, 3 travel guides and a book with all flea and second hand markets is another one very useful Dutch/Italian culinary dictionary in our store.
How environmentally unfriendly is the paper book
Let’s first look at the production of paper. The paper book manufacturing process requires huge amounts of wood pulp, water and energy. Forests are being cut down, which has a devastating effect on ecosystems and biodiversity. In addition, paper production requires chemicals, such as bleaches and inks, that can generate harmful by-products and pollute the water and air.
A green bookshelf that you always have with you
Unlike these paper books, ebooks do not have a physical form. They only exist in the digital world. When buying an ebook there is no need for the destruction of trees or the use of chemicals. No paper is produced and there are no logistical costs associated with transporting books from the printer to the bookstore. This means that the carbon footprint of ebooks is significantly smaller than that of paper books.
In addition, let’s not forget that the life of paper books is limited. Over time, they can wear out, become damaged or lost. This leads to a constant demand for new ones, which in turn results in continuous production and wasted resources. In contrast, ebooks have no tangible form and can be reproduced endlessly without any impact on the environment. They can be downloaded, read and shared without the need for new resources.
“Let’s strive for a world where we meet our needs without depleting nature.”
- Buying ebooks contributes to this vision by reducing the impact on the environment.
- Digital books reduce our ecological footprint.
- In this way we save precious natural resources.
- We preserve the beauty of our planet for future generations.
So let’s ditch the traditional bookshelves and open up to the new possibilities that ebooks offer. Howard Gossage’s philosophy may date back to the 1960s, but it is still, perhaps even more so today, of value in creating a more sustainable and environmentally friendly world, page by page.
Listen to the Howard Gossage documentary on BB4:
2023-05-26 18:43:11
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