i only got as far as the part where manufacturing and boxing CDs is killing our planet. who didn't see THAT coming?

but the last time i checked, those iPods (and a bunch of other MP3 players) had batteries which were sealed, irreplaceable, and toxic.

meaning that when the battery no longer holds a charge you have to throw the whole fricking thing away and the cadnium and other heavy metals eventually leach out.

its better by far just to listing sirius or xm, and not buy iPods or CDs

There are lots of battery stores who will replace the battery in an MP3 player. I was quoted $39. The store recycles the old battery and it sure beats throwing out the player.

its better by far just to listing sirius or xm, and not buy iPods or CDs

Depends on how much you value finding new, independent, or obscure music. MySpace can help with finding it and discovering it, but as far as being able to listen to it in your home, Sirius doesn't have a lot going on that way (though I enjoy their classic alternative station; it's not like I can overdose on the Smiths, Japan, or Bahaus).

Most I-pods, cell phones, PDA's, laptops, etc... are all switching to lithium batteries. The NiCads could be recycled... but unfortunately most are probably not.

You are correct in assuming that the battery is more of an environmental concern than the energy used to download music... Of course, choosing to drive 2 miles in a Prius exceeds all the the supposed environmental damage from downloading a full album, and a single road trip out-of-town would exceed all the environmental damage from your music choices for the rest of your life... So it's not surprising that batteries are more significant.

I hope most people do recycle their NiCads, Cadmium poisoning is horrible... but it isn't hard to buy a lithium battery for whatever your music player might be, and it doesn't make sense to shun the player when only a certain type of battery is the concern.

:)

You should go on to read the rest of the article... it's funny. You could learn about the terrible possibility that downloading a CD might result in (gasp) 400 grams of CO2!

LOL

Even if people do not want to bother with recycling their ipods, Apple gives you something like ten or twenty percent off (can't remember the exact number) when you trade your old one for a new one. And they do replace the batteries if you don't want to buy a new one. They're just going to charge you to do that (which makes sense either way).