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| Light from the sun |
Suppose I tell you that instead
of using ink in printing what you read in newspapers today light is going to be
used, what will you say? Will you believe it? Will you doubt it? Newspaper is
just one example of printing surfaces. There are many more printing surfaces
around you with ink as the means of printing. Ink has been critical to the
development of our civilization thus far. When you go to a shopping mall to buy
a curved TV or flat TV the product is secured in a case on which is printed
(with ink) the name of the product and some instructions regarding the product.
EXAMPLES
I am giving more examples to show
you how pervasive and critically important ink is in our society, and thereby
the significance of the transition that is taking place- the use of light
instead of ink in printing. The examples are as follows:
- Books you read are printed with ink. You need to read your text books so as to write and pass your examinations. You may read a book to broaden your horizon. You need to read book printed with ink to be abreast with times. Without reading book printed with ink you may not acquire a profession- teacher, technician, pharmacist, lawyer, doctor, physicist, event planner, accountant, administrator, secretary etc. Without reading book printed with ink, to a large extent, you should be devoid of knowledge, and an illiterate. Without inventing ink to print books to read them to acquire knowledge to keep it in books for preservation, perpetuation and use by posterity, we may still be stuck in the Stone Age!
- If you want to get a hardcopy of a document you should print the softcopy- without the ink you cannot get the hardcopy, perhaps for a conference.
- Consumables are secured in cases which in many cases are printed with ink. In my house when I look around me I can see many examples. The case of the internet modem I am using is printed with ink. Part of the case of the pen drive I use is printed with ink. One could go on and on, from toothpaste cases to refrigerator cases.
TOXINS
In brief I have tried to give the foundation
for the widespread use of ink in our society. However, the pervasive use of
ink, and its instrumentality in the progression of our civilization leaves in
its trail problems for the natural environment. What follows is what ink does
to compromise the environment.
- Release of VOCs into the atmosphere: VOCs stand for volatile organic compounds. These compounds are organic chemicals with high vapor pressure. They are found in ink. Under high pressure molecules in the compounds escape into the atmosphere. Some VOCs are harmful to the environment.
- Heavy metals such as lead and mercury used in ink can contribute to the degradation of the natural environment- soil, air and water.
UV
Over time steady and progressive efforts
have been made to reduce toxic substances in ink to the barest minimum. The
innovation of light as a material for printing, replacing ink, appears to be
the icing of the cake. Let me take you through the steps of this new technology.
- The miracle starts with the invention of a paper which is coated with color-changing nanoparticles that react to ultraviolet (UV) light.
- A UV light printer is beamed through the paper leaving where the text is to occupy. The text is then projected against the light-beamed paper.
- The paper can be used for over eighty times.
- The text printed with the light lasts for five days and disappears, for the paper to be used again.
- If you want to use the paper before the five days is up you can erase the text.
PARTING SHOT
It is a choice between the sustainability of
light and ink. It is a choice between the environmental friendliness of inkjet
printer and laser printer. It is weighing between the advantages and
disadvantages in the use of light and ink. Apart from light replacing ink,
there is the huge advantage of the preservation of the resources used in the
production and disposal of paper because of the rewritability of the paper
treated with nanoparticles. It is a choice between a rotting natural
environment and a refreshing natural environment.
This transformational step to replace ink
with light in printing, with the concomitant environmental benefits should be a
feather in the cap of earthlings who are putting in efforts to shore up the
natural environment from further degradation. It is also to serve as a boost to
their unrelenting perseverance.
This post should continue to encourage all
of us to do our bit for a clean and balanced natural environment in a
sustainable way.
Reference:
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