human
I've heard that e-readers are better for the environment than traditional books. Is this true?
assistant
It depends on your definition of “better.”  E-readers use fewer resources to produce and distribute content, so they can be seen as more environmentally friendly in some ways. However, they also have higher upfront costs and require more energy to power, which makes them less efficient from an environmental perspective. Ultimately, it’s difficult to say whether or not e-readers are a net positive for the environment.