The Environmental Argument for Digital Entertainment

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There's a common conception among many people that analog entertainment is better than digital. Even when the content is the same, the method of delivery is argued to be a significant part of the appeal. While this is undoubtedly true, we have to ask the question: where do we draw the line?

Why Do We Prefer Analog?

There are two primary components which play into our appreciation of an analog experience. The first of these is nostalgia.

As sentimental beings, it can be difficult to abandon the way we grew up with. These can help attach us to our past, where can relive the happiness of a simpler time.

The second component is the tactile aspect. Humans appreciate a tactile experience. Being able to touch something, to acknowledge a physical form gives us an indefinable something which digital files and software simply cannot. While we are big fans of e-book readers, for example, there is no question that, if it were more feasible, we’d rather be carrying paperbacks.

So Why Digital?

There are many reasons why digital entertainment can be a more preferable choice, depending on which form of entertainment is involved. For example, we'll look at the popular example of buying lottery tickets.

Traditionally, we would purchase these from the likes of a grocery or corner store. It’s not exactly a difficult task, but performed on mass it still creates a problem of avoidable pollution.

Compare this with a system like Lottoland. Lottoland sells lottery tickets you can buy online by betting on the outcomes of various draws, and is rapidly become a more preferable and well-used system. Not only is it more convenient, but this is also eco-friendlier when it comes to travel and discardable tickets.

Similar comparisons can be drawn to a wide range of other analog to digital services, with some areas offering even greater advantages from a switch. Purchasing a hundred books in physical form would take up considerable room, and an enormous amount of paper.

A hundred ebooks, on the other hand, could be stored on a single device. Since this also requires no physical materials to be used, the overall cost of these, and many digital systems, tend to be lower.

Making the Change

Taking the plunge and shifting from analog entertainment to digital is one many of us put off. Even if we keep the few items which hold the most sentimental and tactile importance, we still factor in the pain of learning or slight cost of digital storage.

What you need to keep in mind, is that digital entertainment technology is a far cry today from where it was a decade or two ago. Today's systems are not only incredibly cheap upfront, but they can also generate enormous savings in the longterm. These are also simpler than ever before, as developers know a large portion of digital consumers have few tech skills of their own.

Making the move whenever you can isn’t just an investment in saving time and money, it can be just one small part of making tomorrow a less cluttered and polluted place.