How green is the Kindle Fire - part 5: The impact on Amazon's carbon footprint and its refusal to disclose it

This is the final part of our Amazon week. After discussing if the new Kindle Fire and other new Kindles will contribute to making e-reading greener (it will), and comparing Kindle Fire with iPad 2 and Nook Color and see which device is greener (iPad 2), and it's influence on B&N (big trouble for the bookseller), and the impact of the new Kindle products on independent bookstores, we'll talk today on the influence of the new Kindle Fire on Amazon's carbon footprint the company's refusal to disclose it.

The second point is easy to start with - I doubt if Amazon will change its policy not to disclose its carbon footprint because of the release of the new Kindle products. As we saw earlier this year, even pressure from shareholders didn't make a difference for Amazon. So what might create a change in its policy? I see three possibilities: 1. Pressure from customers - if there's anything Amazon cares about, it is what customers think. 2. A Greenpeace campaign - Greenpeace knows how to it. Just ask Mattel, Nike, Adidas, Kimberly Clark and a long list of companies that changed their practices following a Greenpeace campaign. 3. An ongoing pressure from shareholders - it can work in the long-run, if more shareholders will join and pressure the company.

Now to the new Kindle's influence on Amazon's carbon footprint - it's difficult to say as so little information is disclosed, yet it is clear that with many more millions of Kindles manufactured and sold, not to mention busier cloud network, there's a good chance Amazon's footprint will increase significantly. This is why we should hope to see Amazon becoming a leader not just in technology and consumer products, but also with corporate responsibility and carbon disclosure.

To read more on how green is the Kindle, visit our website at http://www.ecolibris.net/kindle.asp

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

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

How green is the Kindle Fire - part 4: Can the new tablet actually benefit independent bookstores?

Today we continue with our Amazon week. After discussing if the new Kindle Fire and other new Kindles will contribute to making e-reading greener (it will), and comparing Kindle Fire with iPad 2 and Nook Color and see which device is greener (iPad 2), and it's influence on B&N (big trouble for the bookseller), we'll talk today about the impact of the new Kindle products on independent bookstores.

The good news is that indie bookstores are not invested in any tablet or e-reader like B&N, so they don't have to worry about dwindling sales of electronic products. At the same time, it's quite obvious that the launch of the Kindle Fire will only help increasing ebook sales. This is not good news for independent bookstores because ebook selling is still not one of their strengths and I don't believe it will be in the near future.

Yet, the fact that B&N is in deep trouble because of the new Kindle products offsets this negative impact on indies and in a way creates a positive one. Why? Because my guestimation is that B&N will have to put even more money on their line of Nooks and spend less and less money on their brick and mortar stores, while keep closing a growing number of them to reduce their loses.

So, for indies it means less competition when it comes to book purchasing in bookstores. It doesn't mean a rosy future and we will probably see also indie bookstores that are getting closed, but it might help them to keep their head above the water at least for the near future.

What about the long-term? That's a good question, and the answer mainly relies on the ability of indies to adopt to the 21st century challenges and to change their business model in a way that will meet tomorrow's challenges instead of yesterday's challenges. As Oren Teicher, CEO of American Booksellers Association wrote lately:

"The fact of the matter is that, for the most part, as an industry we have continued to operate using a business model that has gone largely unchanged in 60 years. While we still very much want to read and handsell our favorite titles from the past, clearly, we no longer have the luxury to continue employing business models that no longer meet the challenges of a radically different social, technological, and business environment. "

Tomorrow we'll have the final piece on our Amazon week, this time on the influence of the new Kindle Fire on Amazon's carbon footprint and if we'll see any change in the company's refusal to disclose it.

To read more news and updates on the future of bookstores go to our website at http://www.ecolibris.net/bookstores_future.asp

To read more on how green is the Kindle, visit our website at http://www.ecolibris.net/kindle.asp

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

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

How green is the Kindle Fire - part 3: Will it kill B&N and drive the bookseller into bankruptcy?

Today we continue with our Amazon week. After discussing if the new Kindle Fire and other new Kindles will contribute to making e-reading greener (it will), and comparing Kindle Fire with iPad 2 and Nook Color and see which device is greener (iPad 2), we'll talk today about the impact of the new Kindle products on Barnes & Noble.

First, the bottom line: B&N is in trouble. Now let's see why.

Fortune Tech wrote it very clearly: "While Barnes & Noble has made a valiant effort to keep up with the times with its innovative line of Nook e-readers, it simply can't compete with the likes of Amazon, which introduced its potentially category-killing Kindle Fire last week."

The digital activity of B&N, led by its Nook, was what saved it so far from the same faith of Borders (i.e. bankruptcy) and the focus of its future strategy. In other words, this is what B&N counts on to survive and thrive in the digital age, when brick and mortar stores are no longer cash cows.

And now with the introduction of the new Kindle Fire and the new Kindle products the competition is becoming much harder. Just look at the comparison we provided yesterday between the iPad 2, Kindle Fire and Nook Color. Why would anyone pay now $249 for Nook Color, when they can get the same if not better (updated operating system and so on) Kindle Fire for only $199?

If B&N wants to make Nook Color attractive again they have to reduce its price to at least $199, which means smaller margins for them, which means trouble.

And let's not forget Amazon also announced three more Kindles at the lower end that are priced below B&N's comparable Nooks, which again means trouble for B&N.

What about new B&N products? According to International Business Times, "BN has reportedly been moving toward launching its own new tablet, reportedly called "Acclaim." Reports have suggested the product will be priced at $349. But since Amazon has more content, including streaming movies with its Prime subscriptions, it isn't likely that a higher priced tablet will have much of a chance competing against Amazon's lower-priced tablet. So not only will BN have to slash prices on its Nook products, including the Nook Color, but the company may have already lost on the Acclaim before the public has really even heard about the product."

So, as you can see B&N has to come with an answer to Amazon and do it quickly. The question is if they have an answer and also whether they can afford it. Unfortunately I'm not sure both answers are yes, which means that B&N is indeed in trouble.

To read more of our analysis on B&N visit Barnes and Noble Bankruptcy Index on our website.

To read more on how green is the Kindle, visit our website at http://www.ecolibris.net/kindle.asp

More resources on the ebooks vs. paper books environmental debate can be found on our website at http://www.ecolibris.net/ebooks.asp.


Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

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

How green is the Kindle Fire? Amazon week - Part 2: Comparing Kindle Fire, iPad 2 and Nook Color

Yesterday we started our Amazon week to examine some of the impacts of the new Kindle Fire and other new Kindle products. Today we'll try to compare compare Kindle Fire with iPad 2 and Nook Color and see which device is greener.

First, we need to acknowledge the sad fact that currently only Apple publishes information on the carbon footprint of its device, as well as information on its eco-friendly features, such as having an arsenic-free display glass, being brominated flame retardant-free, PVC-free, and so on.

Unlike Apple, Barnes & Noble and Amazon either don't care about the environmental impacts of their devices or just don't think it worth the effort of sharing this information with their customers. Either way, Apple's leadership makes iPad 2 the greener device among the three. Once Amazon and Barnes & Noble will change their mind we could make a meaningful comparison among the three tablets. Until then, Apple's iPad 2 rules!

By the way, if you look at the features comparison between the three below, published by OSXDaily, you will see that the Kindle Fire is lighter than the other two (although it's thicker than the iPad 2), so it will be interesting to see if it also means it is more material efficient than the Nook Color and the iPad 2. Well, Bezos, we're waiting..





Tomorrow we will see what will be the impact of the new Kindle products on Barnes & Noble.


To read more on how green is your (and my) Kindle, visit our website at http://www.ecolibris.net/kindle.asp

More resources on the ebooks vs. paper books environmental debate can be found on our website at http://www.ecolibris.net/ebooks.asp.


Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

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

How green is the Kindle Fire? Amazon week - Part 1: Green impacts on e-reading

Today we start our Amazon week, following the announced of the company last week on the launch of its new tablet, Kindle Fire, and the new Amazon Kindle products (Kindle for only $79, Kindle Touch and Kindle Touch 3G). The question we'll discuss today is are these new Kindles How making e-reading any greener?

Let's start with the bottom line. Our answer is Yes. Why? Mainly because of cheap prices and the evolution of e-reading devices:

1. Cheaper price, greater availability - "These are premium products at non-premium prices. We are going to sell millions of these." - Jeff Bezos. He's right and the new prices for both an e-reader ($79) and a tablet ($199) makes them more available for many people who couldn't afford these products so far. It is an important issue as one of the claims against e-reading was that it was one of these innovations that is only available to the rich and leaves the poor out. Well, not anymore, or at least Amazon's new prices are a big step to make this claim irrelevant.

2. Evolution of e-reading devices - It's important to mention that Amazon did not disclose the Kindle Fire's carbon footprint and given their past resistance there is a little chance they will do it later on. It means there are questions about manufacturing, the use of chemicals and other parts and so on that unlike with Apple for example are left unanswered.

Nevertheless, the contribution of the new Kindle products, both the Fire tablet and the new Kindle touchscreen e-readers are the fact that they're moving the whole market one or two steps forward. As we always said, even if right now e-readers are not as eco-friendly as we would like them to be, they will surely be so within couple of generations, and the competition between e-reader sellers is right now the most effective driver we have to ensure we're moving in that direction, seeing both e-readers and tablets that are better and in many ways more eco-friendly (the reduction in the iPad 2's carbon footprint comparing to the first iPad is a good example of this process).

So the bottom line is that the new Kindle Fire and the Kindle e-readers are contributing to greater competition in this market and therefore advancing the evolution and greening of e-reading.

Tomorrow, we'll compare Kindle Fire with iPad 2 and Nook Color and see which device is greener.

To read more on how green is your (and my) Kindle, visit our website at http://www.ecolibris.net/kindle.asp

More resources on the ebooks vs. paper books environmental debate can be found on our website at http://www.ecolibris.net/ebooks.asp.


Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

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

RAN has made it - Disney is working with RAN on a new comprehensive paper policy!

We reported here earlier this year about RAN's campaign to ensure children's books are not printed on paper linked to Indonesian rainforest destruction, which eventually was focusing on Disney Publishing.

Until now RAN said Disney has offered only empty words that do nothing to ensure the company is not still purchasing paper driving rainforest destruction. Yet, it seems like things have changed and for the better!

Last week RAN sent an update over the email saying: "Disney executives flew to San Francisco the next week to meet with RAN’s forest team. We’ve been deep in negotiations with them ever since. "

This is great news! RAN, according to their email, is working with Disney on a comprehensive paper policy that will ensure Disney stops sourcing paper from the world’s endangered forests and instead increases use of responsible alternatives like recycled paper. Negotiations are still underway and the campaign will remain active until a strong final policy is announced.

RAN reports it is (cautiously) optimistic that "Disney will do the right thing and establish a precedent-setting policy that ends its ties to forest destroyers APP and APRIL while providing a positive model for other corporations to follow. This would be a major win for the world’s forests, forest communities and Disney."

Kudos to RAN on their achievement and we definitely hope these negotiations will succeed! We'll keep you posted once we'll have more updates.

In the meantime, check RAN's website to learn more about their campaign.

Photo credit: RAN

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Promoting sustainable reading!

What if Republican presidential candidates were e-readers?

I saw a funny comparison of CSR reports to celebrities and it got me the idea of comparing the 2012 Republican presidential candidates to e-readers and see if we can find any interesting (and funny) matching and identical characteristics.

So without further ado, here's our comparison. We hope you'll enjoy it.

What if Republican presidential candidates were e-readers:

Michele Bachmann - NOOK

Why? "Expert recommendations and fun social features"

Herman Cain - Pandigital Novel Color Multimedia eReader

Why? Believes it brings added-value to the field. Bit of too much self-esteem.

Newt Gingrich - Sony Reader

Why? An old-timer. Doesn't really have a chance against the new generation.

Jon Huntsman, Jr. - Aigo X1 HD

Why? Popular in China.

Gary Johnson - iriver E-Book Reader

Why? Have you ever heard about it? I guess not..

Ron Paul - Astak EZ Reader

Why? Ignored by the media.

Rick Perry - Italica Paperback Reader

Why? "Light. Fast. Simple"

Mitt Romney - Amazon Kindle

Why? Front runner. Yet, you always look for something better.

Rick Santorum - The Kobo eReader

Why? "Have the look of a winner" (well, probably just the look..)

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

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