Sustainability at PocketBook - Products

{{widget type="Pocketbook\Cms\Block\Widgets\Author" pocketbook_author_name="E-reading – a sustainable reading alternative" pocketbook_author_picture="wysiwyg/GER/Nachhaltigkeit/Icon_Produkte_o.Text.jpg" pocketbook_author_about="You're certainly thinking: Of course, that’s what they have to say. Reading on e-readers is more eco-friendly. In fact, that’s what it is! A brief conclusion in advance: The e-reader is particularly worthwhile for you if you read a lot. "}}

{{widget type="Pocketbook\Cms\Block\Widgets\PromoText" pocketbook_promo_text_topic="E-reading from an ecological point of view" pocketbook_promo_text_text="

We asked ourselves from what number of books read the purchase of an e-reader is worthwhile from an ecological perspective. When preparing a life cycle assessment, the sub-processes of manufacturing the e-reader, its distribution, use and disposal must be considered (Öko-Institut e.V., 2011). Studies show that the manufacturing phase impacts the environment the most. More than 90 % of the cumulative energy expenditure as well as the greenhouse potential are caused in the manufacturing phase. The impact on the environment from the distribution of e-readers can be considered low due to mass transportation by overseas freighters or air freight. With proper disposal, this sub-process is also of little significance due to the possibility of recovering the copper and precious metals contained, such as gold, silver and palladium.

The use phase also contributes very little to the overall environmental impact for our e-readers’ long service life, which is essentially decided by the following factors:

If comparing CO2 emissions of printed books with those of e-readers, an e-reader comes up to approx. 8 kg of CO2 equivalents as it consists of a lot of plastic and rare precious metals. A printed book of recycled paper, on the other hand, comes to approx. 1 kg.

That means to you:

From an e-book consumption of about ten books on, there is a positive environmental impact in terms of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions compared to printed books. Or in other words: The production of ten printed books consumes just as much energy as the production of one e-reader.

Sources:
Öko-Institut Freiburg e.V. (2011): E-Book-Reader - Entwicklung der Vergabekriterien für ein klimaschutzbezogenes Umweltzeichen
Commercial Waste (2020): Electrical Waste - E-readers vs books: Which are better for the environment?

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{{widget type="Pocketbook\Cms\Block\Widgets\PromoText" pocketbook_promo_text_topic="Repairing" pocketbook_promo_text_colours="#f4f4f4" pocketbook_promo_text_text="

Repair contributes tremendously to saving resources and supports the longevity of products. Our service center offers the possibility to repair your e-reader not only during, but also after the warranty has expired. Our service center is located in Europe, which means short shipment.

Register your e-reader for repair here.

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{{widget type="Pocketbook\Cms\Block\Widgets\PromoText" pocketbook_promo_text_topic="Re-using" pocketbook_promo_text_text="

E-readers returned within the 30-day revocation period or that served as display items are far from being obsolete. Refurbishing them, we give our e-readers a second chance. You can buy the devices at a reduced price in our online store.

Have a look here to see which devices are up to date.

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Used devices must not be disposed of as household waste. Used electrical equipment contains valuable resources that can be recovered in recycling processes and re-used. However, they also contain harmful substances that must not be released into the environment under any circumstances. Our PocketBook service center will dispose of your old device properly, i.e., it will be recycled according to the requirements of the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act.

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{{widget type="Pocketbook\Cms\Block\Widgets\PromoText" pocketbook_promo_text_topic="Sustainable product properties of our e-readers" pocketbook_promo_text_colours="#FFC56D" pocketbook_promo_text_text="

Our product development team is constantly working to add sustainable product features to both our e-readers and our range of accessories, including, for example:

• energy-efficient batteries for a long useful life of your e-reader
• developing energy-saving devices
• reduced material input while maintaining device protection (e.g., flip cover just protecting the display)
• sleep mode for e-readers to save on recharging cycles

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