Digital magazines....what an inane idea

[rockinmywaypa]

What are we supposed to do now while we're waiting to get a haircut or waiting to see the doctor at his office. There must be lots of places that require the ability to pick up a magazine to peruse for a while while waiting for something.

 

[Travelover]

A digital Sears catalog won't do you much good in an outhouse.

 

[CowboyRon]

I know people have a preference to digital or printed copy, and choices are always good to have.
The problem I have is where the digital people try to convince the masses is that digital is "green" and good for the planet.
Studies have shown that for all of the electricity to run the servers and then the power to read an article only once, gives the digital readers as large or even bigger carbon footprint.
I've been in the print business for over 30 years myself. All of our paper that we use is recycled, our ink is soy based, and all of our chemicals are either 0 or low VOC.
We don't print many magazines anymore, just brochures and advertising you would see in a store.
I'm finished rambling, just thought I would throw in another $.02

 

[dave1949]

I know people have a preference to digital or printed copy, and choices are always good to have.
The problem I have is where the digital people try to convince the masses is that digital is "green" and good for the planet.
Studies have shown that for all of the electricity to run the servers and then the power to read an article only once, gives the digital readers as large or even bigger carbon footprint.
I've been in the print business for over 30 years myself. All of our paper that we use is recycled, our ink is soy based, and all of our chemicals are either 0 or low VOC.
We don't print many magazines anymore, just brochures and advertising you would see in a store.
I'm finished rambling, just thought I would throw in another $.02

That's a good side topic to the thread. I think the studies would have to be very detailed and encompass many factors, including environmental impacts, to make a valid conclusion on how green digital is compared to paper.

My guess is that digital would be found to be greener, but I bet it is a close race. The server farms should be getting at least 50% of their power from renewable sources like solar and wind. Digital output requires energy and chemical intensive devices to make it usable, PC's, phones, tablets, pads, etc.

How many times can paper be recycled? Does it chemically degrade to the point where it is no longer suitable for print materials? I suppose it may depend on what tactile and visual characteristics the distributor is looking for, but newsprint for example, can it go round and round more or less forever?

 

[CowboyRon]

That's a good side topic to the thread. I think the studies would have to be very detailed and encompass many factors, including environmental impacts, to make a valid conclusion on how green digital is compared to paper.

My guess is that digital would be found to be greener, but I bet it is a close race. The server farms should be getting at least 50% of their power from renewable sources like solar and wind. Digital output requires energy and chemical intensive devices to make it usable, PC's, phones, tablets, pads, etc.

How many times can paper be recycled? Does it chemically degrade to the point where it is no longer suitable for print materials? I suppose it may depend on what tactile and visual characteristics the distributor is looking for, but newsprint for example, can it go round and round more or less forever?

I don't think there is a limit to how many times paper can be recycled. Most of the stock we buy has no more than 70% recycled pulp, but I have come across some 100%.
I know our recycling company takes all the paper that we give them. They ask no questions.

 

[Soundguy]

yep.. i hate digital copies too... I like to set and read if power is out.. at lunch out on the farm.. etc.. etc.

 

[MossRoad]

Mossroad, thank you VERY much for your detailed and informative post on the subject. I do understand the realities of digital publication, but I sincerely wish those of us who have to deal with very slow internet access didn't have to bear the negative aspects we are stuck with. At the absolute maximum, my gaming ready desktop coupled with a 25" LCD can download at 54 mbps using DSL which is at the maximum 3 mile range where I live. The hardware can operate at much higher speeds but I will probably never be able to get much faster DSL than that 54 mbps speed. Very frustrating.

You sure you don't me Kb and not Mb?

I've got about 160Kb down and 250Kb upload and its plenty fast for digital media. Can't stream video at that speed, though.

 

[MossRoad]

I know people have a preference to digital or printed copy, and choices are always good to have.
The problem I have is where the digital people try to convince the masses is that digital is "green" and good for the planet.
Studies have shown that for all of the electricity to run the servers and then the power to read an article only once, gives the digital readers as large or even bigger carbon footprint.
I've been in the print business for over 30 years myself. All of our paper that we use is recycled, our ink is soy based, and all of our chemicals are either 0 or low VOC.
We don't print many magazines anymore, just brochures and advertising you would see in a store.
I'm finished rambling, just thought I would throw in another $.02

I think when you factor in the power needed to grow, harvest, transport, pulp, mill, transport, print, deliver to doorstep, collect from doorstep for recycling(starts the process over like harvesting) paper will consume way more energy per reader reached than digital copy per reader reached.

And there is a limit to how many times paper can be recycled into the same type of paper based on how much the fiber breaks down, how many chemicals are used to bleach it, etc...

Let's face it... print will be for art projects and wrapping paper only in the next decade, maybe two decades.

 

[300UGUY]

Makes it easier to keep the house clean. I don't have stacks of newspapers to be recycled or magazines to be read. I need all the help I can get.

 

[CowboyRon]

Let's face it... print will be for art projects and wrapping paper only in the next decade, maybe two decades.[/QUOTE]

My dad brought me into the business, and I've made a good living with it. I won't do the same for my boys. The business has just shrunk too much, and I'm blessed that I'm still in a niche that's doing well.