this post was submitted on 24 Aug 2023
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How’re are sd cards wasteful?
I think they mean the packaging. Micro SD cards usually come in a package that's 10x the volume of the card, itself.
Though, I'm not sure there's a decent way around that one. It's really difficult to ship and stock incredibly small products like that.
Have to make sure those small products don't get lost somehow
the large packaging is so they don't grow legs and walk out of stores or warehouses. some retailers require larger packaging, plus those non-recyclable trackers embedded inside for anti-theft systems. some of those larger blister packs and hangers are comically large.
Why does the packaging need plastic though? It's absurd to me that coffe cups and stuff have to be degradable and made out of wood/carton (which is a good thing). And yet for a product where it shouldn't matter "hey let's use as much plastic as we can for this packaging".
I've been keeping SD cards in a drawer unprotected for years and I have yet to see one break.
You want to know the ridiculous thing about that - the coffee cup thing is a complete con. They can't be recycled as paper/cardboard because they have a polymer coating to allow them to maintain their structure.
Mostly it's cardboard with a small amount of plastic around the card itself so you can see what you're buying (and presumably so you can also see that somebody hasn't discretely opens the packet and nicked the card).
I think MicroCenter’s house brand flash media is sold “loose”, or in minimal packaging, at the register. The USB sticks are for sure, and I think the SD and microSD too (though in a plastic carry case).