A typical paperback book accounts for around 1kg of carbon dioxide, according to sustainability expert Mike Berners-Lee.

Perhaps that does not sound like much. But in the US alone, where 767 million paperback books were sold in 2023, this is equivalent to the electricity use of more than 150,000 homes for a year.

Forest loss, paper production and printing, and transport of books are generally the largest contributors to the carbon emissions of printed books.

So, using less wood fibre, and shipping lighter loads, are important ways to reduce the emissions of print books (as well as the costs of producing them).

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c24pqrvvll9o

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