For all of my avid readers out there, I know you’ve tried both paper books and e-books. I also know you have a preference. To many, the differences between these two may not matter much, but to some the differences are everything.
Paper Books
Paper books have a special place in my heart. One of my favorite activities is going to a local bookstore and finding new, physical books to buy. A lot of the time, I don’t get around to reading them. The books will either sit on my shelf for years or end up being donated. But that never stops me from popping in Barnes and Noble and walking around for a good half an hour. There’s just something about seeing so much creative work in one place and getting the opportunity to enjoy that. Indulging in a paper book or a bookstore is a great feeling for anyone that enjoys reading.
Paper books, of course, are not as popular to some. Paper books are usually more expensive than e-books, and harder to access. They also are not exactly environmentally friendly. First, physical books take a lot of paper to make, and paper comes from trees. Close to 30 million trees are cut down each year for book production. Along with books using trees, it takes energy to put the books together. This contributes to the carbon footprint. With all of this in mind, it’s very understandable that people would favor e-books over paper books.
E-books
I have probably read just as many e-books as I have paper books. Like I mentioned before, they are usually less expensive and easier to access quickly. It is much more convenient to hit a button and be able to read the book right away, rather than having to drive somewhere to buy or rent it. I read e-books more during my late middle school and early high school years. As I began to read a bit less and go into my later high school years, I leaned more toward paper books. Now, as I am in college and trying to read more, I find more comfort and excitement in paper books.
E-books don’t really have any part in the environment. They are online, accessible through most devices and are obviously not made from paper. E-books don’t require a lot of the energy and materials that paper books do. And really, e-books contain the exact same story as the paper version of the same book. I will say that for me, paper books are much easier to read for a long amount of time. It’s ink on paper, not words on a bright, blue-light screen. So as environmentally-friendly as e-books are, they very well may not be for everyone.
It’s up to You!
For this comparison, it all comes down to your personal preferences. It’s likely that paper books will continue to be published and made. With that being said, buy and read paper books if that is what you enjoy more. If you are wanting to be environmentally friendly, ensure you either recycle or re-home your used books. Many books that are published and sent to bookstores do not sell out, so the leftovers usually get sent to recycling centers. I give my used books to family and friends most of the time. By doing this, I am giving more than one use out of the paper book. However, if e-books are what you prefer, go for it! There is no right or wrong when it comes to paper books versus e-books, because both will be around for a long time.
As a reader, you are probably picky about what you do and don’t like. Don’t be afraid to branch out and try something new when it comes to reading!