Green Music
I bought some CDs sometime in the last week or two. I pleased to observe as I browsing the shelves looking for the specific music that was appealing to me that date that about one half of the new music is packaged in a card stock folded case. To many I am sure this is not such a big deal, but it made me very happy to see it. Seeing such cases over the regular plastic jewel cases was a positive step for the green movement. Yes, they are made from trees. However, trees are renewable resource if managed correctly and the case it self is then recyclable and further biodegradable. And given that I usually buy a CD put it in my case and end up maybe keeping the jewel to put a data CD in to give to someone, if I am lucky to remember such, it is a win-win.
First, it was unusual for me to actually be browsing the new music, as I usually buy my CDs at either the used music store, the half-price book store, or even eBay – which is really the ultimate in recycling when you think about it. But this particular time I was looking for some brand new stuff that had just come out in the last few days. One thing you don’t see much of is alternative packaging on the used CDs as most of them were made before the current round of green being the in thing to do.
Add to this that it was in a Wal-Mart (yeah, I know, but it was close to where I was and worked), it means that this packaging is definitely going main stream. One more thing that was nice to note while I was there I decided I really needed to get a new CD case as the two I have were full. I was happy to find that there was a CD case made out of cotton instead of the usual synthetic (which generally I despise in clothing and vote against them for anything else as well). Happily it was a better design the previous ones I have were made with and cotton itself is renewable. And all that for only about a buck more than the synthetics. Again, one day it will bio-degrade, did not use a non-renewable resource, and looks better too.
One thing I also noticed while browser was of course the ability purchase either a card that entitled the user to download specific songs or albums from a specific site and some music that instead of being on CD, instead was on a SD type of memory card. I admit I did not care for either of those options. The cards were of course plastic and obviously plastic and I suspect, without verification, that the memory cards are not very friendly either, but I could be wrong on that one.
This does bring me to the best option of all though, which is to avoid all the packaging, include the plastics and such in the media of the CD itself and just download them directly from a website that caters to that. And yes, I did say download – but I mean legally from a source you are legitimately paying for the music. I am very much against piracy and will only occasionally check out a new piece of music before purchasing it. So I am determined to start giving this a try in the not far off future, which is going to be a big step for me – as I just like having that record, tape, or even album in my hand. Guess that I am telling my age there, but I have had an account on one site with free downloads included for a long time that I have yet to use. Going to have figure out my first set of music and give that a try. Of course I may still have to burn a copy to CD just have that backup copy – but it will still be greener, no packaging, even cardboard and no cellophane wrapper either.
