There were many things I loved about college: meeting new people, the free exchange of ideas, long afternoons in the student union catching up with friends, no classes before noon- well, at least my junior and senior years anyway.

But, if there was one fly in the ointment, it had to be the books. Those big, heavy, dry, multiple textbooks they always made us shell out tons of our hard-earned beer money on. Even if you bought the "used" books, they were still incredibly overpriced (yes, I'm looking at you, WSU Bookie).

Beyond the outrageous cost of these boring literary wonders, there would always be professors who would force you to "upgrade" to the new edition, simply because they changed two paragraphs on page 485.

So, in this land of academic enlightenment, where, oh where, is the concern for our mother earth and the planet today's students will inherit tomorrow?

Here's something that could be part of the answer: Digital Textbooks.

They've been around for awhile: the noted green tip site idealbite.com first wrote about them in 2005. On average, they cost 50% less than traditional textbooks, and they live right on your computer. Simply pay the fee, and download, and the book is yours.

(Kind of like what we did with music when I was in school, except we skipped the whole "pay the fee" step.)

On your PC, they look and feel like a textbook: flip the page, move ahead to others, do everything you usually do. (Well, I wouldn't suggest highlighting your monitor).

Hopefully, moving ahead, digital textbooks are something we can all embrace. Cuts down on paper, cuts down on costs, and cuts down on waste. Check out the links at the right for places you can find digital textbooks.

However, it also cuts out one of my favorite ice-breaking way to meet girls when I was in school: flash a smile, and ask if she would mind splitting the textbook over the semester.

I guess for that one, you crazy kids are on your own. 


Joe Gura lives in Seattle and is a regular contributor to CW50Detroit.com. All opinions expressed in this column are strictly his.