The original natural family living magazine, founded in 1976. Reader-supported
and trusted by thinking people around the world who want positive alternatives
to high cost, high consumption lifestyles for themselves and their families.
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||
|
from Natural Life Magazine,
September/October 2009 I often review CDs and DVDs in this column. But I’ve recently begun to think about the environmental impact of these small and efficient carriers of music and film. They require resources to manufacture (including aluminum, gold, silver and nickel, not to mention petroleum-derived plastics, lacquers and dyes), use energy to transport and create waste when disposed of – which happens continuously. Because of their complicated structure, CDs and DVDs are virtually impossible to recycle. (And how many coasters and crow-scaring garden hanging thingies can one person use, anyway?) Then, of course, there are those plastic “jewel cases” made from PVC and the shrink wrapping, both of which are also difficult to recycle. DVDs and CDs are made to last for a long time if taken care of properly. For example, minor scratches can be repaired by rubbing a mild abrasive, such as toothpaste, on the non-label side in a circular motion from the center out. Here are some other things you can do to lessen their environmental impact:
The US EPA has produced a poster called The Lifecycle of a CD or DVD, available at www.epa.gov/osw/education/pdfs/finalposter.pdf. It is especially good for use with kids. Wendy Priesnitz is Natural Life's editor, a journalist with more than 30 years experience, and the author of nine books. The Media Beat is a regular column in Natural Life, where Wendy Priesnitz shares her favorite sources of green information and inspiration. To read the rest of this column and others like it, subscribe to Natural Life's digital edition, which includes access to this and other back issues. |
|||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
