Are e-readers really green?

There's a great article over at the NY Times that tries to see how green are e-readers compared to reading a regular book. They consider the materials and energy used to make it (and those that are used in the manufacturing process too), to transport it, to use it and to dispose of it. Some findings are really interesting:

• One e-reader requires 33 pounds of minerals and 79 gallons of water. A regular book requires about 0.6 pounds of minerals and 2 gallons of water.
• Making an e-reader requires around 100 kw/h of energy (around 66 pounds of co2). A normal book needs 2 kw/h.
• If you buy a book online and have it shipped 500 miles (by air), the transportation creates about the same pollution and waste and actually making the book. Driving 5 miles to the bookstore (and back) causes 10 times the pollution and waste!! If you use your e-reader to read lot's of books, it's quite a difference...
• If you read a book at night for an hour or two, the light bulb will use more energy than it takes to charge your e-reader.

They are mostly talking about the iPad, which is a bit problematic because it draws much more power than your average black-and-white E Ink e-reader (and it's a much more sophisticated device which probably creates a lot more waste, too). 

Back in 2009, the Cleantech Group released a report saying the e-readers are actually quite green.