Green Daily

Techophiles and music geeks deserve love, too. Or, at the very least, they deserve to live vicariously through their favorite downloaded love songs.

This Valentine's Day, forget about buying CDs, and instead create your lover a newfangled mixtape by recording your own podcast, or downloading a romantic playlist to their iPod.

Why?
It is estimated that we buy about one billion CDs a year, most of which eventually find their way into a landfill. And each month, approximately 100,000 pounds' worth of CDs becomes obsolete. And with each CD made up of a noxious combo of aluminum, polycarbonate, lacquer, and chemical dyes and then encased in a plastic jewel case, that amounts to a lot of trash that could be saved simply by switching to mp3s.

What can I do with my old CDs?
While you're switching to mp3s, instead of throwing away your old CDs and DVDs, recycle them. The CD Recycling Center offers some great tips. If you live in the U.S., simply put all of your used CDs in a box, and label it "Mark the box "CDs / DVDs/ HD/Blu-ray Discs only." Put any paperwork (cover art, lyrics pages, or coupons that came with the CD) into another box marked "CD Paperwork.") Send both to:

The Compact Disc Recycling Center of America
68H Stiles Road
Salem, NH 03079












What if I still really want to put my music on CDs?
After you download your mp3s, it can be nice to have the songs on a CD, and not just for nostalgic purposes. CDs are nice to have, they tend to have decent sound, and they're nice to have around when your iPod runs out of batteries. If you're going to use them, at least buy them in bulk, sans jewel cases. Then, you can make your own case, or get eco-friendly cases from TripleDisc, which offers recycled packaging.

How that I know about why I should download mp3s, how do I know which ones to get in order to impress my crush?

Not to worry, my student. Keep reading, and I will school you in the ways of indie love songs. You could go super-green by checking out these eco musicians, or check out a list of some rockin' indie love songs, below. (And if these don't at least score you a make-out sesh, nothing will).

American Analog Set, "Aaron and Maria"
Ani DiFranco, "Both Hands"
Ben Lee, "Begin"
Beulah, "If We Can Land a Man on the Moon, Surely I Can Win Your Heart"
Bright Eyes, "First Day of My Life" (cute sappy music video, too)
Built to Spill, "Car," "Reasons"
Death Cab for Cutie, "I Will Follow You Into the Dark"
Feist, "Inside and Out"
Jeff Buckley, "Lover, You Should Have Come Over"
Jesus and Mary Chain, "Just Like Honey"
Jets to Brazil, "Sweet Avenue"
Kimya Dawson, "My Rollercoaster"
Le Tigre, "Eau D'Bedroom Dancing"
Matt Nathanson, "Laid"
Mazzy Star, "Fade Into You"
Melissa Ferrick, "Anything, Anywhere"
Mew, "Am I Wry? No"
Mika, "Love Today"
Nicole Reynolds, "Whiskey"
Neutral Milk Hotel, "In an Aeroplane Over the Sea"
Plushgun, "Just Impolite"
Sufjan Stevens, "That Dress Looks Nice on You"
Tegan and Sara, "Take Me Anywhere"
The Cure, "Pictures of You"
The Decemberists, "Red Right Ankle"
The Flaming Lips, "Do You Realize?"
The Magnetic Fields, anything on their "69 Love Songs" album
The Silver Jews, "How Can I Love You If You Won't Lie Down?"
The Smiths, "Ask"
The Spinto Band "Mandy"
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "Maps"

Don't like my suggestions? Have some of your own? Share them in the comments section. Now, go roll around in your bamboo bedsheets, you crazy kids.