There are tons of people who could very easily argue that city maps printed on paper have become all but obsolete in these day. Certain online sites can give detailed directions to practically any destination on the planet, and many modern vehicles are equipped with GPS devices that are meant to ensure that drivers will never be lost again. Printed maps are still available at many truck stops and convenience stores across the country, but it seems like more and more people are more willing to forego traditional atlases and city maps in favor of modern technology. And yet, there are still times when it is best to have an old fashioned paper map available for use in a car’s glove compartment.

GPS navigation is the wave of the future, this is true. But the technology has been progressing to the point where maps are downloaded much more quickly, and they often are capable of delivering directions to destinations in real time. Free online map services also provide easy-to-read directions to a destination for those who have an internet connection but since lack a GPS system. Still, neither GPS systems or online map services are a perfect solution. GPS devices run on batteries which is an expensive cost. GPS navigation system may get a driver to where he or she needs to be most of the time, but when the batteries die during a long road trip, then what do you do? The fantastic source of up-to-the-minute information that was so convenient, in just moments before is essentially useless. Fortunately, a driver doesn’t have anything to worry about if he or she has a city map to pull out. It won’t give anyone directions in real time, and it also won’t tell anyone if there is road construction happening or any detours that are happening, but it will give the driver directions to get where he or she needs to go. As a navigational backup alone, paper maps can be endlessly useful in all situations.

Many drivers have been spoiled by their GPS systems. GPS devices are amazing tools, but they are far from perfect devices. A GPS map can easily be outdated, in fact some people may not realize this as they are using their GPS tool. Those precise directions that they can give also may steer a driver in the entirely wrong direction. It is true that paper maps printing on paper can never be updated, but the basic layout of road doesn’t change on a day to day basis.

All in all, drivers should not be left a paper city map on hand during long trips. As great as GPS systems can be, sometimes they simply cannot beat a folded up map or atlas when it come to navigation.

The DVD is a robust and dependable information storage device and among the various types of content it can store are video and audio data, software, games, and more recently, promotional material. The global demand for DVDs stands at eight billion units per year.

What many people do not know is that the ingredients which are used to make a conventional DVD include polycarbonate – a derivative of oil, a natural resource whose supply is fast dwindling, and non-biodegradable binder materials which are also toxic. In more particular terms, conventional DVDs are simply non-recyclable. This fact was a major concern ever since the inception of DVDs in 1993 and this prompted research into alternative eco-friendly tech. After several failed attempts, the world was finally presented with environment-friendly eco discs.

The production of eco DVDs is a revolutionary solution which upholds the concept of environmental sustainability i.e. easing pressure on raw materials whose continued production/extraction is unsustainable.

Eco discs have one rather than two polycarbonate layers, which translates into a 50% reduction in the use of this oil-based derivative. The single layer also eliminates the need for using the aforementioned toxic resins and this further translates into a 50% reduction of the energy which is used to bind the polycarbonate layers in conventional disks. The overall production process also boasts a significant 52% reduction in the volume of carbon emissions. The final product is not only environment-friendly but also lighter in weight, and the single polycarbonate layer makes the disc more flexible and thus a much more sustainable device for data storage.

Eco discs have the same optical and electrical properties, and the same capacity (4.7 GB) as conventional discs, thus the question of playability is a non-issue. They have a lifespan of 200 years which guarantees a lifetime of safe and dependable archiving. The reduced weight also translates into a bargain in the cost of postal and freight charges as well as an increase in warehouse capacity, and the increased flexibility translates into more durability with respect to both packaging and handling. The mass production of copies of these discs is equally trouble-free with regards to both replication and duplication processes.

The road leading to the creation of eco discs was certainly not as rosy as the final results are. Eco discs prototypes were put through stringent testing and quality assurance processes which sought to ensure that these discs would be compatible with most if not all DVD players and drives. One of the instances where the production of these discs suffered a major setback was when they proved incompatible with Mac ROM drives but the issue has since been resolved.

Eco discs present an ideal chance for companies and even artists to show their concern for the environment. Newspaper and magazine companies are reeling in the joy of using flexible discs for the cover mounts of their respective media, which is now pushing sales up unlike other strategies such as placing web links in the pages. The use of eco discs is also another proactive way for companies to define their smaller carbon footprints as part of their corporate social responsibility strategies.