New News, Paper Free

The newspaper is a morning staple for many, and an icon for
the suburbia of America and the bustle of the western metropolis. But more and
more newspapers are becoming a thing of the past, with the advent both of the
television and online news sources. So what is the effect of these sources on
the waste produced? Does less newspaper really mean less waste?

            The
transition into the electronic medium is arriving faster than ever, with
innovations like e-readers and the Amazon Kindle,
which promise more literature cheaper, faster, and with less space. But what
about papers?

            Notorious
papers such as the New York Times and the Washington Post are transitioning
still to make their content more available to an electronic audience, some even
with online subscriptions.

            What
are the benefits of an online paper? Besides quicker access to content, online
papers cut down on the amount of energy and materials used in physical paper
production. In addition, the waste produced by papers is also cut. While it is
true that newspapers are reprocessed paper pulp, making them a recycled
material in themselves, and responsible for such innovative ideas as helping to
recycle e-waste, their widespread distribution is still a contributing factor in non-recycled
paper waste.

            But
perhaps the most lasting, and less visible benefit of e-papers is the reduction
in automobile emissions and petroleum use attributed to paper deliveries. Daily
papers, especially in rural areas, can cost upwards of $100 a day per vehicle
to deliver. Imagine the extent to which widespread use of online paper sources
could contribute to lowering vehicle use.

            There
are a number of argued downsides to e-papers, however, including selective
sourcing and a decline in article quality. But the reality is, regardless of
medium, people are already likely to choose sources in-line with their current
views. In response to arguments on article quality, reliable sources such as
the aforementioned papers and the Atlantic Monthly include online the same
articles presented in their physical publications. As long as the source is
reliable, the quality of writing will most likely stay on-par.

            Newspapers
are a staple of many people’s mornings, however, and it can be a hard
transition from the friendly crinkle of paper to the metallic click of a mouse,
but I’m willing to bet since you’re reading this blog, you’ve already made some
of this transition. For me, physical papers stay limited to the Sunday edition,
when I have time to sit back and relax, and enjoy my news.

AceFisch | My Bio & Articles

I am an junior English major/ Philosophy minor at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland. Currently I am spending the spring of 2009 studying at the University College Cork in Cork, Ireland.