From Paper to Pixels: Making More Sustainable Reading Choices
By Jade Christensen
Reading has never been more accessible. Today’s readers can choose from physical and digital formats available through bookstores, libraries, neighborhood book exchanges, and e-book platforms such as Kindle, Libby, and Hoopla.
While these options make reading more convenient than ever, each comes with distinct sustainability considerations. Understanding the environmental impact of how we read is an important step toward more responsible consumption.
Each year, an estimated 320 million books end up in landfills. These include outdated textbooks, damaged volumes, and books that are no longer wanted and lack clear disposal options (1).
Fortunately, there are several alternatives to discarding books. Public libraries and thrift shops often accept donations, while book swaps with friends or community groups can extend a book’s lifespan. Books can also be repurposed for crafts or décor. When books are no longer usable (such as significantly outdated textbooks), many can be recycled by removing bindings and recycling the internal pages (1).
Physical vs. Digital Books: A Sustainability Comparison
Physical books offer tangible benefits, from the sensory experience of turning pages to their aesthetic value within the home. However, their production and distribution raise environmental concerns. The pulp and paper industry is the world’s third-largest industrial emitter of greenhouse gases (2). In addition, physical books must be transported from manufacturing facilities to retailers and ultimately to consumers, further increasing their carbon footprint.
Digital books eliminate the need for physical production and transportation, offering immediate access to vast libraries of content. However, their sustainability impact is not negligible. Digital books rely on data storage infrastructure, which consumes significant amounts of energy and water due to the need for continuous climate control.
Moreover, many readers purchase dedicated devices such as e-readers or tablets solely for reading. The production of these devices requires precious metals and resource-intensive manufacturing processes, contributing to environmental degradation.
Another important factor is reading volume.
There is a point at which the environmental impact of an e-reader becomes lower than that of purchasing physical books. According to Mike Berners-Lee, author of “The Carbon Footprint of Everything,” this threshold is reached at approximately 36 paperback books per year, after which the cumulative footprint of physical books exceeds that of an e-reader (2).
Ultimately, the most sustainable way to read is often through local libraries.
Libraries maximize the usefulness of each book by circulating it among many readers, reducing the need for new copies. They also play a critical role in accessibility, ensuring that knowledge and enjoyment of reading are available to all.
Accessibility, diversity, and inclusion are essential components of sustainability, and supporting institutions that promote these values contributes to a more informed and equitable society.
Endnotes
(1) Maletic, Marina & Tasneem, Samira. (August 20, 2025). How to Recycle Books Responsibly: Donation, Selling, and Recycling Options. Green Citizen.
(2) Veltman, Choe. (May 25, 2024). What’s better for the climate: A paper book or an e-reader?. NPR.
