Eco friendly Printer - Not really

A friend sent out a group mail with ten eco friendly/green living ideas. One of them was a printer which doesn't need paper or ink. This is how it works-


source:eamusing.com
Company creates a desktop printer that doesn't use ink nor paper

Who says printers only use paper to print documents? It's time for you to meet the PrePeat Printer then. Different from conventional printers, PrePeat adopts a thermal head to print on specially-made plastic sheets. These plastic sheets are not merely water-proof, but could be easily erased, just feed the sheets through the printer again, and a different temperature will erase everything or just write over it. Also claimed by the manufacturer, such one sheet could be used up to 1,000 times so that you'll reduce your expenses on paper for sure."

My take!! - Why isnt this a green solution?...
A very important matter of concern - The plastic sheets used to print and erase content. Inventor(s) needs to work on that part of the invention...one major peeve being, the printer itself is made of plastic, whatever the lifespan of the appliance, it is going to end up as tiny immortal bits of plastic floating across some place in the world...hmm.. i am really hoping that i am not the only one who wants to think green or eco sense as a holistic approach

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PLASTIC STATE OF MIND - Parody with Purpose

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Go Green with Craigslist and Freecycle

Choosing the right kind of furniture for your home is a major influence on how green you could be...It is no harm in wanting the best for yourself. However, it could be a little considerate on our part to reuse heavy and usable furniture items (among other things) and not let them become landfill before their lifespan.

Readers who are familiar with my Design blog, The Design Enthusiast, know my love for preloved furniture. I have furnished an entire single bed room apartment with finds from local sellers via craigslist. Touch wood, it has been a great experience till date. Although, I am not into upholstered furniture, it is better to avoid beds or heavy cushioned sofas unless you are very sure about the condition. Reason being, loads of bugs and dirt may find their way into your abode. And then, there are odour issues we need to deal with. I dont advocate any particular furnishing style, but defintely would like to see minimal upholstery and cushions (read foam) as possible.

There could be more such collaborating websites I am not aware of yet. Another place to look out for is Freecycle. It is a brilliant way to minimize waste and think about greening your choices without much effort.

quoting the Freecycle website-
The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,864 groups with 7,603,875 members around the world. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them's good people). Membership is free. To sign up, find your community by entering it into the search box above or by clicking on 'Browse Groups' above the search box. Have fun!

One very interesting thing about Freeecycle is that people giveaway stuff for free...so take a look, maybe you will find something that may work for you. (I have been a grad student here in the US...so hand me downs dont bother me...however, i dont see a similar vibe among fellow country men who land here with a job and a heavy paypacket. No comments on that though!!)

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