EOTO: What I learned...

 April 17, 2023

The Pencil

The pencil has been used as a tool for communication for centuries. Before the invention of the printing press, scribes and scholars would use pencils to write and copy manuscripts. The lead or graphite in the pencil allowed for a smooth flow of ink, making it so much easier to write and alter text.

In the 1970s, Nicolas Jaques Conte invented the pencil. During this time, graphite was not being imported in France. As a result, a man named Lazare Nicolas Marguerite had asked Conte to create a pencil that did not rely on imports. The word pencil comes from the Latin root meaning “ little tail”. The pencil was referred to as this because it resembled the fine brush artists used for painting. Prior to the invention of the pencil, artists used lumps of lead to express and translate what was going on in their heads onto objects that others could see. 

Throughout the 19th century, the pencil became widely available and affordable, making it a popular writing implement. This led to increased literacy rates and the growth of written communication. Pencils were also used for drawing and sketching, which allowed people to communicate ideas visually.

Even though the pencil created such a powerful impact in terms of communication, it also created several negative environmental effects. 82,000 trees are cut down annually in order to manufacture the 14 billion pencils we use a year. In addition, a lot of machinery is used to create the pencil. Including trucks and machines which pollute our environment.

Despite the fact that digital communication has largely replaced written communication, pencils are still widely used in schools and by professionals for note-taking, drawing, and sketching. The pencil is still considered one of the most important tools for communication, as it allows for the easy expression of ideas and the creation of lasting records.

In conclusion, the pencil was an amazing invention that brought so many new ideas along with it. Without it, the world today would be a very different place. 

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/how-many-trees-are-cut-down-each-year-to-make-pencils.html

https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/a21567/history-of-the-pencil/

https://blogs.bl.uk/untoldlives/2019/05/the-history-of-the-pencil.html#:~:text=The%20modern%20pencil%20was%20invented,the%20army%20of%20Napoleon%20Bonaparte