Winners of the Student Climate Change Solutions Contest

We reported here last July that Madeline Kaplan, author of the children's book "Planet Earth Gets Well", who partners with Eco-Libris to plant a tree for every copy printed of the book, is partnering with Earth Day Network to promote the 2010 Student Climate Change Solutions Contest for K-4th graders in schools across the country.

And we've got an update on the winners of the contest:

First Place: Saham Alkaify, 4th Grade, PS/MS 20, Police Officer George J. Werdann, III School in the Bronx, NY 86% of U.S. Energy Consumption is Fossil Fuel!

















Second Place: Jemma Kelly, 2nd Grade, Hayshire Elementary School in York, PA

My poster shows ideas for solutions to stopping climate change. Recycling helps our planet keep valuable resources and stop waste. We can all work together to recycle many products we all use everyday. My poster shows some ideas for how everyday products can be recycled into new ones.

You can read more about it at http://www.earthday.net/climatechangesolutionscontest

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Plant a tree for every book you read!

On digital publications - an interview with Cindy Marks of Catstone Press

As part of our exploration of the printing market, trying to get learn more on sustainable practices in this field, we often hear about digital alternatives that become more popular.

Therefore, when I was contacted by Cindy Marks of Catstone Press, which is creating digital publications, I was happy for the opportunity to learn more about this world, how it interacts with old-school printing and how important the "green" factor is here. Cindy was happy to answer our questions and here's the interview with her:

Hello Cindy. Can you tell us about Catstone Press? What is your area of expertise?
I started CatStone Press two years ago. I was poking around on the web for a client who wanted some Flash for his website and stumbled upon one of the companies creating the back end software for digital publication development. I was impressed and excited by the possibilities. I spent several days absorbed with the budding industry growing from this page flip concept and checking out how each company was moving forward.

I settled on working with Yudu and have been very happy with their product's capabilities. They provide a flexible structure that then allows me to create very high quality digital magazines, newsletters, books and brochures. My expertise is in knowing the ins and outs of how these products are constructed and optimizing the potential for the client. I also offer design skills honed in creating a publication with browser viewing and reader experience in mind.

Sadly, many of these digital publications are thrown up almost as an after thought and I think they don't do nearly as well as they could for their publishers and readers. As with anything, you need to understand the potential and limits of the product and really design with the results in mind. CatStone has also made a number of additions to what is normally offered with digital publications so we can give our clients little extras like interactive forms, animations, custom pop-ups. We spend a lot of time brainstorming what will work best for a client and then doing the problem-solving and programming to make it happen.

What are the "green" characteristics of your operation?
Hopefully there are green characteristics to my business that I won't even think of because it's been second nature for a long time. Prior to magazine design, I was in the natural foods industry. Becoming more green was a big part of why I jumped at digital publishing.

I'd been trying to leave paper behind for years - as much of a paperless office as possible, subscribing to only the most necessary magazines and getting the rest of my fun and information online. I will admit that while it certainly seems very green to publish without the paper and chemicals and gas used for distribution, I have also tried to delve into the footprint of doing things electronically. There are a lot of factors to consider, but I still believe that if nothing else, I'll hopefully save a lot of trees and contribute to cleaner water. Some of the rest depends on how people use their electronics and gadgets and I do my best to act responsibly with those as well.

What are most popular digital formats? What are the pros and cons of digital publications?
There are all sorts of digital formats whizzing around the web right now from websites that are called digital magazines to Kindle versions to these page flip options. Not to mention good old pdf documents. I've settled into Flash based publications for a few reasons, namely that the readers treat these more as they would a paper magazine - browsing more slowly, enjoying the view. I also like that the "view" can be as beautiful as some of our best printed pieces and remains a relatively easy translation from the pdfs we would normally use to print anyway.

I favor these over downloading a pdf document because I can save the space that a pdf would take up on my hard drive, not to mention the time it would take to download a large, image oriented pdf. Flash-based publications also seem slightly easier when adding rich media - putting video and voice-overs within the pages. So far the Kindle-type versions don't have rich media and I'm not sure even with color that they will be as fun to read. If tablet size viewers make an appearance soon, with internet capability, my best guess is that these Flash publications will really fly. Getting mobile versions is one of the biggest hurdles right now, but it's coming along.

Is it important for your customers that no paper is used for their publications when they order? for how many of them this is the major reason to go digital?
With clients, I have a mix of those who continue producing a paper product and those who do not. Most of the clients who hire CatStone to design from the ground up, are doing so to go purely digital and they think in terms of using rich media content and let us refine the designs to suit digital viewing. Some of those who still produce paper versions are using CatStone to make a transition away from using as much paper.

Very wisely, they are aware that in some situations and with some audiences, you will still use traditional print. But they are taking their digital versions as far as we can push them, creating an enhanced experience with lots of interactivity. Those with a good web presence use their digital versions for more direct reader contact and have links that pull readers back and forth between a good site and several good digital publications.

In the long run, I guess you'd have to say using less paper would be the goal with all my clients, whether it's for an environmental reason or just to save on print and distribution costs. They can potentially reach a wider audience with less expense and offer an experience that also enhances their web presence. This is an easy way for them to flip their paper content assets into digital content assets, whatever their reason for doing so.

David Carr wrote in the New York Times earlier this month that we're facing " a paperless recovery"? do you agree with him?
I would have to agree with the article's quotes that many of the changes in the publishing industry, mostly involving advertising money, are likely not to be cyclical, but permanent. I can't say that I see advertisers rushing to embrace web advertising either.

They are being very cautious and asking more questions about what they will get for their dollars. One good thing about the digital publication model is that for those advertisers supporting a publication that produces both a paper and good quality digital product, they are getting quite a bit more bang for their buck. Not only do they have a paper ad as usual, but they now gain a large (in comparison to banner ads) web ad with a live link to their own website and can potentially enhance that ad even further with video, animations or sound.

Other parts of the article address the need for monetary support of top notch journalism. I couldn't agree more. But allocating those funds is probably not directly influenced by whether publishing is done on paper or digitally. There's an opening for information, trivia or propaganda on any platform. The issue is more likely that there is stress on the system right now due to all the changes that are occurring.

What do you say to a customer that still wants to print their publications? do you partner with green printers?
For the most part, with CatStone, I've not been directly involved in clients' paper publishing, though I would certainly make recommendations on environmental choices if given the opportunity. I do see more clients coming to me who are interested in both digital and print-on-demand self publishing and as a result, I'm currently exploring options for the print-on-demand clients. I would welcome any and all information on "green" options there. Thankfully, I see most of my print design clients aware and leaning towards environmentally better print solutions.

What are the main concerns about the footprint of the digital processing and what are the best ways to deal with them?
The environmental footprint of the digital publication lies within the framework of electrical usage and the hardware behind the viewing. We've come a long way in realizing that there are environmental consequences to everything we do and thus, there are studies underway about internet usage and it's impact. Huge variation can come into play depending upon one's choice of computers or other hardware, the age of that hardware, the service provider.

The footprint created as CatStone creates a publication is one aspect and we do our best to remain energy conscious while meeting the deadlines and needs of our clients. The computers we use, as with everyone's, are finally becoming more recyclable and continue to improve on energy usage.

Overall, I believe footprints boil down to volume and I really hope that by reducing the need to physically reproduce information via traditional printing we will have reduced the usage of raw materials and allowed more people access to that same information using a new medium. I'm sure that like most human endeavors, that will remain to be seen. For now we should all be savvy consumers of electronics and try to remain educated about recycling opportunities for each brand and learn ways to reduce our use of electricity.

Thanks, Cindy.

For more information on Castone Press please visit their website at http://www.catstonepress.com/

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Promoting sustainable reading!

12 days left to our green books campaign - here's the second list of participating books!

12 days left to our green books campaign - It's Time for a Green Book: 1 Day, 100 bloggers, 100 green books, 100 reviews. As we mentioned earlier, we already have more than 110 blogs registered to the campaign!!

This campaign is part of our efforts to promote green books, i.e. books that are printed using recycled and FSC certified paper. Our idea was to have 100 bloggers, who review books on regular basis, simultaneously publish on Tuesday, November 10 2009, exactly at 1:00 PM EST, their book review of a "green book" of their choice.

Today we bring you the second list of books and blogs participating in the campaign.

Also, with every list of participating books we present here, we'll tell you a fun fact about the upcoming campaign: All the books participating in the campaign are written in English, except one. Any idea what book it is? Well, this is the Portuguese edition of "Sleeping Naked is Green" by Vanessa Farquharson! The book is originally written in English, but it will be reviewed by a Portuguese blogger reading the Portuguese version of the book.


And now to our list - part 2 (check out part 1 here):


11. The Horned Wiper

Author: Gill Harvey

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books

Will be reviewed at: Frenetic Reader





12. Stormy Weather

Author: Debi Gliori

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books

Will be reviewed at: Reading to Know



13. Nice to be Nice

Author: Bella Flowers Books

Publisher: Bella Flowers Books

Will be reviewed at: Tara's View on Books




14. Syren

Author: Angie Sage

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books

Will be reviewed at: Sparrow Review





15. The Trouble with Dragons

Author: Debi Gliori

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books

Will be reviewed at: Brimful Curiosities


16. An Environmental Guide From A to Z

Author: Tim Magner

Publisher: Green Sugar Press

Will be reviewed at: latercera.com

17. Hope and the Super Green Highway

Authors: Helen Moore & Louise Rouse

Publisher: Lollypop Publishing

Will be reviewed at: Green Design & Other Ideas



18. Let Me Out: How to Enjoy the School Run

Author: Ann Kenrick

Publisher: Lollypop Publishing

Will be reviewed at: Eco Child's Play




19. Yucketypoo - The Monster That Grew and Grew

Author: Jilly Henderson-Long

Publisher: Lollypop Publishing

Will be reviewed at: Literacy Launchpad

20. The Adventures of an Aluminum Can

Author: Alison Inches

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children's Books

Will be reviewed at: SMS Book Reviews


Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: promoting sustainable reading!

Green printing tip no. 21: What new developments have surfaced in Green papers?

We have another tip for you on our weekly series of green printing tips, where we bring you information on green printing in collaboration with Greg Barber, an experienced eco-friendly printer.

Today Greg is beginning a 4-part series that will focus on the companies that have a vital part in green printing - the paper companies.

What new developments have surfaced in Green papers?

Tip #21

This is the first part of a series I will run on paper for the next 4 weeks. In this series I will feature the major mills and the variety of "green" options they offer. Today, I am just touching on two mills: Mohawk Paper and Neenah Paper.

1. Mohawk Paper

A. Beckett Cambric
They have introduced 100% post-consumer waste fiber to this prestigious line. Cambric has a linen finish, and I recommend this paper for stationery orders. Cambric is FSC certified and produced using Wind energy.

B. Options PC 100
Mohawk has added an I-Tone finish to their flagship 100% PCW line. The I-Tone finish allows this grade to print heavy solid coverage on the new Indigo presses. The printing on this paper allows for a flat finish, like offset printing. Options PC 100 is FSC certified and produced using
Wind Energy.

C. Genesis
Mohawk has taken over Smart Paper Mills. I recommend this 100% PCW line when you need
darker colors, like kraft. I make a lot of pocket folders on this line. Genesis is FSC certified and produced using Wind Energy.

2. Neenah Paper

A. Environment
This is the leader in the industry for 100% PCW and Tree Free. Environment has added Tree Free Bamboo & Sugar Cane, mixed with 50% PCW. The resulting line comes in two natural colors an white. I do a lot of postcards and business cards, and stationery on this addition. Their 100% PCW lines have expanded to 5-6 colors. Environment is FSC certified, and Green E certified.

B. Classic Linen/Laid/and Crest
Neenah added 100% PCW to all three finishes. These papers have been used for over 30 years,
and are the standard for quality text papers. I recommend them for brochures and high quality stationery orders. Like all of my recommendations, these papers are FSC and Green E certified.

C. Translucent paper

They added a recycled version. This paper separates sections in a brochure, etc.

Pricing: These papers are moderately priced. The one advantage of printing on uncoated
papers, is they bulk higher than coated papers, and you can use a lighter sheet to accomplish your thickness needed. For instance, you could use an 80# weight, instead of a 100# weight in
coated. That would save 25% in paper bought. Also, these lines feature 100% post-consumer waste, which I promote the most.

Next week, I will feature my less expensive paper ideas.

To learn more about the mills and their offers please visit their websites - www.mohawkpaper.com and www.neenahpaper.com. On their webiste you can find information on the weights, the sizes, etc. Neenah has also the color chips online (Mohawk will have their color chips online soon).

If you have any further questions about today's tip, please email me at greg@ecofriendlyprinter.com

Also, if you have any questions you would like us to address in future tips please email us to info@ecolibris.net .

Latest tips:

Green Printing Tip #20 - How to create a green packaging job?

Green Printing Tip #19 - How can graphic designers make a difference and green up your printing jobs?

Green Printing Tip #18 - What is rock paper and why is it considered a green paper?

You can find links to all the tips we published so far on our green printing tips page, which is part of our green printing tools & resources.

You can also find further valuable information on Greg Barber Company's website - http://www.gregbarberco.com.

Yours,

Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: promoting green printing!

Kabbalah Publishing, publisher of "The Power to Change Everything" by Yehuda Berg is collaborating with Eco-Libris

We are happy to announce a new collaboration with Kabbalah Publishing on their new book "The Power to Change Everything" by Yehuda Berg, which will be released next week.

As part of our program "Readers Take Action", Kabbalah Publishing invites the book's readers to take action and balance out this book and their future book purchases with Eco-Libris.

Readers of this new book are invited to visit http://www.ecolibris.net/yehudaberg.asp to participate. There, for every book they balance out, readers will receive our sticker made of recycled paper saying “One tree planted for this book”, which they can display on the book sleeves. For every five trees planted on their behalf, Eco-Libris will plant with its planting partners one more tree on behalf of Kabbalah Publishing, as an appreciation of the publisher's commitment to the environment.

Here's more about this book and the author:

About the book: From best-selling author and noted teacher and speaker Yehuda Berg comes a thought-provoking call to action on our current global crisis.

Positing that our collective abdication of responsibility — in every facet of our lives, including business and the economy, the environment, government and politics, healthcare, education, and religion — has contributed to the problems and challenges we face, Berg asserts that taking responsibility for our actions (or lack thereof) and their consequences is the key to achieving change for the better. Berg urges readers to access the power within each of us, using the principles of Kabbalah, in order to create the consciousness shift required for lasting positive change.

About the author: Yehuda Berg is a renowned authority on Kabbalah. Touted as “the people’s kabbalist” he shares these teachings as a technology to improve everyday life. In 2007, Newsweek named Yehuda one of the top five rabbis in the United States. Although he serves as an advisor to many thought leaders around the world, his true passion lies in working with people not accepted by society. Yehuda believes that only by transforming our negativity can we unlock our greatest blessings. A bestselling author whose books include The Power of Kabbalah and The 72 Names of God, Yehuda is a true spiritual activist. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and five children.

Yehuda is co-director of Kabbalah Centre International, the leading spiritual organization dedicated to bringing the wisdom of Kabbalah to all peoples of the world. The Kabbalah Centre itself has existed for more than 80 years, but its spiritual lineage extends back to the 16th century, and even further to the revelation of The Zohar, more than 2,000 years ago.

You're welcome to follow Yehuda Berg on twitter and Connect with hime on Facebook.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Promoting sustainable reading!

Green book review (and giveaway) - Green Earth Guide: Traveling Naturally in France

Today we have a great guide for those who wish to travel to France and want to have fun and enjoy the trip while keeping their footprint as low as possible.

Our book today is:

Green Earth Guide: Traveling Naturally in France

Author: Dorian Yates

Dorian Yates has worked for consumer advocacy organizations as an environmental activist and congressional lobbyist; as an advisor on environmental, health, and social justice issues; and as a consultant on non-toxic products, indoor air quality, and organic farming issues. A researcher and consultant for the books The Green Pages and Ecopreneuring, she lives in Vermont.

Publisher: North Atlantic Books

Published on: May 2009

What this book is about? (from the publisher's website)
Written by the founder and publisher of The Alternative Health Guides, a web and print guide for Vermont and New Hampshire, Green Earth Guide is a one-stop reference that provides travelers in France with tips to stay green and healthy even when traveling.

Green Earth Guide contains current, comprehensive listings of health food stores and farmers’ markets, public transit information, alternative health care facilities, green businesses, organic vineyards, renewable energy resources, yoga and spiritual centers, national parks, and other green places of interest. Written in a friendly, accessible style with personal anecdotes, how-to travel tips, and practical information, the book offers an insider’s guide to healthy living on the road. With Green Earth Guide, readers don’t have to sacrifice healthy habits and ecolifestyle choices just because they are in a foreign country.

Green Earth Guide helps travelers have a wonderful, fulfilling vacation while leaving a smaller footprint wherever they venture in France. Included is a 16-page color insert.

What we think about it?
Starting the book, going over some of the helpful words the author translate from English to French, I felt I'm going into a time tunnel back to 1986. Here I was again in my French class in junior high school struggling with the language I loved so much. I'm not sure Madame Rachel, my teacher, would be happy to see me still struggling with my French, but I'm sure she'll be happy to know that I'm still in love with this beautiful language.

You don't have to know French to enjoy this book or to find it useful. All you need to be is "the twenty-first-century traveler with a conscience. You don't even need prior desire to go to France. I assure you that you'll have plenty of that by the time you finish this book.

Unlike other traveling guides, such as the Lonely Planet, this guide is organized mainly by subjects and not places. Still, the search is fairly easy whether you're looking for information on shopping, recreation or accommodation.

The book has couple of significant strengths: firstly, it provides you with a much better understanding about the green side of France, combining cultural, social and historical aspects that together create a big picture you'll find nowhere else. It also shows how ecologically minded traveling is not only for reach travelers and can be done on any budget.

And last but not least, this is a great resource of information. It's very convenient to have all the information on eco-friendly accommodation, farmers markets, organic vineyards and biking under one roof.

If you go to France you might still need another "regular" guide to provide you with information you won't find here, but nevertheless if you care about your own carbon footprint you should have this guide with you. Not only it will make your trip greener, it will make the whole experience more enjoyable.

Bottom line: I was in France only one time and I wish I had this book with me then. I can only say that after reading this book and seeing the beautiful photos in it, I know I must travel there again soon. With this book of course..

Disclosure: We received a copy of this book from the publisher.

GIVEAWAY ALERT!!

We're giving away our review copy of the book, courtesy of the publisher, and of course a tree will be planted for the copy!

How you can win? Please add a comment below and share with us a green experience you had in one of your last trips to another country. Submissions are accepted until Tuesday, November 3, 12PM EST. The winner will be announced the following day.

If you're looking for other interesting green-themed books, you are invited to check out our green books page on Eco-Libris website's green resources section.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Promoting sustainable reading!

Two more weeks to our campaign: It's Time for a Green Book: 1 Day, 100 bloggers, 100 green books, 100 reviews

Only two weeks left to our green lit campaign - It's Time for a Green Book: 1 Day, 100 bloggers, 100 green books, 100 reviews. And I'm happy to update you we already have 111 blogs registered to the campaign!!

Just to remind you, this campaign is part of our efforts to promote green books, i.e. books that are printed using recycled and FSC certified paper. Our idea was to have 100 bloggers, who review books on regular basis, simultaneously publish on Tuesday, November 10 2009, exactly at 1:00 PM EST, their book review of a "green book" of their choice.

We want to use the power of the internet and social media to promote "green" books and increase the awareness of both publishers and readers to the way books can be printed responsibly and sustainably. We hope the magnitude of this initiative will help grab readers, publishers and others' attention and get them to think about and discuss the future of books and how the "green" factor should be part of it.

As mentioned, we already have 111 blogs who will participate in the campaign and it means we have 111 "green" books that will be reviewed. We have a great selection of books and we want to start presenting them to get you ready for Big Tuesday. So from now on until November 10, we'll present here every day a couple of books that will take part on the campaign.

1. A Walk For Sunshine (expanded 3rd edition)

Author: Jeff Alt

Publisher: DS Publications

Will be reviewed at: badgerbooks




2. Art and Upheaval: Artists on the World's Frontlines

Author: William Cleveland

Publisher: New Village Press

Will be reviewed at: At Home With Books



3. Fly by Wire

Author: William Langewiesche

Publisher: D&M Publishers

Will be reviewed at: A Reader's Respite


4. Any Other Woman: An uncommon biography

Author: Monica Kidd

Publisher: NeWest Press

Will be reviewed at: Bloggin' bout books




5. Savage Gods Silver Ghosts - In the Wild with Ted Hughes

Author: Ehor Boyanowsky

Publisher: D&M Publishers

Will be reviewed at: Literary Kicks


6. Small Beneath the Sky

Author: Lorna Krozier

Publisher: D&M Publishers

Will be reviewed at: pages turned


7. Discernment: Educating the Mind and Spirit

Author: Venerable Yifa

Publisher: Lantern Books

Will be reviewed at: Huffington Post/ Sharon Glassman




8. Small Business: How to Improve Your Bottom Line, Grow Your Brand, Satisfy Your Customers - and Save the Planet

Author: Jennifer Kaplan

Publisher: Prentice Hall Press

Will be reviewed at: Anti Pollution Revolution Campaign

9. Sacred Commerce: Business as a Path of Awakening

Author: Matthew Engelhart and Terces Engelhart

Publisher: North Atlantic Books

Will be reviewed at: Easier Being Green



10. The Spitting Cobra

Author: Gill Harvey

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books

Will be reviewed at: Heather's Books


Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: promoting sustainable reading!

The potential and risks of Forest-based carbon offsets: part 3 - REDD: how it can actually work?

On the first part on our series on forest-based carbon credits we talked of the potential of this concept as we saw on the example of Canopy Carbon. On the second part we discussed the risks of this mechanism following the report of Greenpeace on Noel Kempff Climate Action Project (NKCAP) in Bolivia. Today on our final article in this series we try to rap it all and find out if this option can actually work.

WWF wrote couple of days ago on their website that "failure by the world’s financial leaders to support responsible forest finance will allow rampant deforestation to continue and contribute to the disastrous effects of climate change." This logic is very clear and I definitely agree with it and think that REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) can be one of the implementations that follow this logic.

But no matter how tempting are the prospects of REDD both for the environment and the participants, there are some issues that remain a problem. A big problem. Just as a reminder, here are the main issues we need to deal with, as summarized by REDD-Monitor:

• monitoring the state of forests and the volumes of carbon either being emitted or stored;
• in preventing ‘avoided deforestation’ efforts in one location simply shifting the problem elsewhere; and
• finding ways that funding can be got to the people living in the forests – who should ultimately make the decisions about whether their forests stand or fall.

So what do we do? how we do it right? the answer I believe is a set of guiding rules that every REDD project will need to follow to be considered part of this mechanism. Now, it doesn't have to be necessary in a form of regulation - it can be a voluntary guidelines, just like the FSC or the Equator Principles. The only thing is that there should be only one benchmark - if every project will use its own set of guidelines, then it's worthless. Uniformity is a must here.

For example, Carbon Canopy will be using "the highest standards in the voluntary market will be used– the Voluntary Carbon Standard and Climate Action Reserve." Now, these two standards are great, but according to 'Review of Forestry Carbon Standards', a research of Paulo Lopes, a Carbon Management Consultant at Carbon Clear, when it comes to REDD, there are some couple of other standards that can be a good fit such as the Climate, Community & Biodiversity Standard (CCBS), Plan Vivo, or American Carbon Registry (ACR).

So what happens if another project choose to use one of these standards? it will have a similar reliability but we won't be able to effectively follow, evaluate and compare these projects. And therefore we need all projects to follow the same set of standards and rules, and it should address all the main issues, such as how to calculate the carbon savings, additionality, leakage, benefits for local communities and permanence.

And this can and should be part of the Copenhagen Conference in December. The REDD effort can succeed if it will be a global effort and hence Europe, U.S., China and other countries should unite in Copenhagen and promote one solution for all. This is the time to do it and no better place to start with than Copenhagen.

Other parts of this series:

Part 1 - the Carbon Canopy

Part 2 - Noel Kempff and the Greenpeace report

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Promoting sustainable reading!

Knock, knock: It's the Nook!

Barnes & Noble launched earlier this week their e-reader, the Nook.

I heard today an interesting interview on NPR's All Things Considered with Gizmodo's Matt Buchanan, who talked about the one thing that everybody is occupied with: is the Nook better than the Kindle? You can listen to the interview right here:



I checked later on Gizmodo.com for more information on the Nook and found an article entitled "8 Reasons You Can Finally Love Ebook Readers (Thanks to Nook)", which gives you a good idea about the Nook's features and compares it with the Kindle.

Dan Nosowitz, the author of this post, brings very good reasons explaining why he fell in love with the Nook - the only reason I was missing of course was the "green" one: how it's more environmentally friendly than a physical book. Amazon didn't provide yet the Life Cycle Assessment that will provide us with the reply to this question, or the data required to conduct it. Hopefully Barnes & Noble will.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Promoting sustainable reading!