Gyrus: For myself, my mind is altered much more readily by the experience of print reading than reading on the web.
I'm going have to second that, and by the way, Gyrus, I've really been enjoying my copy.
Environmental issues aside, I’d hate to see a world without books. I can’t stand reading on an electronic screen myself; produces eyestrain, neck tension, headaches, and a strange emotional detachment from the text.
I used to manage an antiquarian / occult bookshop, and it was a lovely environment in which to work. I’ve moved on but still visit the shop often and help out from time to time. For me, reading in print is so much more of a soulful and engaging experience, but again as Gyrus said, perhaps that’s just a generational oddity that will soon become a thing of the past. I love illustrated journals in particular; the amount of artistry and attention to detail that has gone into such publications as Dreamflesh and the Strange Attractor series is really exquisite.
There is something sensual about a book, especially one that has been lovingly crafted and limited to a small pressing. I’m sure that electronic devices can also be carried in handbags on trains, or curled up with in bed, but the level of sensory engagement is hardly the same. In my opinion, the collapse of printing would negate books as works of art in themselves, and reduce text to mere functionality, rather than a potent medium of sensual and imaginative expression.
The printing industry should be encouraged by both consumers and the government to use the most eco friendly options available. And these options do exist, albeit at this time only in a small percentage of the industry. There are many printers who are committed to making a difference through the use of recycled paper, and even a good number who promote tree-free such as Kenaf. The Kenaf plant can be grown throughout the American South and West, produces up to five times more pulp per acre than trees, and can be converted into paper without use of environmentally harmful chlorine. Other papers promoted by eco-friendly printers include those containing industrial hemp, agricultural waste, and recycled cotton fibre. Even some mainstream printers are beginning to turn to soy and other vegetable based inks as petroleum prices rise, and eschew chlorine bleaching in favour of less harmful methods.
I’ll just end this post with a link to the best eco friendly paper I’ve yet to see.
Ladies and Gentlemen, yes, here it is…
Sheep Poo Paper |
