Ecology

Books vs e-Books Calculator

Compare the footprint of physical books versus an e-reader.

Books read per year

E-reader manufacturing CO2

CO2 per paper book

E-reader lifespan (yr)

Calculated Output

Paper books CO2/yr 30

E-reader CO2/yr 7.5

Formula: Paper = books * CO2/book; e-reader = eReader / years

Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. Values used:

2. Books read per year = 12

3. E-reader manufacturing CO2 = 30

4. CO2 per paper book = 2.5

5. E-reader lifespan = 4 yr

7. Paper books CO2/yr = 30

8. E-reader CO2/yr = 7.5

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The math behind it

Paper book footprint = books x CO2 each. E-reader footprint = manufacturing CO2 / lifespan, plus a tiny electricity cost.

12 paper books at 2.5 kg each is 30 kg/year; an e-reader at 30 kg over 4 years is 7.5 kg/year.

Which is greener?

An e-reader wins if you read a lot - its break-even is around 5-15 books per year.