There as some discussion in the following thread but I'd say it's a complex subject without a clear answer at present:
I missed this thread, Martin, thanks for posting the link. I've begun reading through, and have waded into some of the research papers but they're a bit heavy-going after a while, and I started skim-reading I confess. One thing I did remark to myself on is that one of the papers discusses the non-recyclability of LPs and CDs. While the latter
may be true due to the mixed materials involved, I am certain that I've previously seen that the PVC in LPs can be melted and re-used, if not as other LPs then certainly moulded into other consumer goods. Similarly, if we actually had the will, then I'm sure the aluminium and polycarbonate in a CD could be separated and recycled. Again I'm sure I've heard that aluminium is possibly the most "recyclable" metal, certainly in common use - think food cans. It can be almost infinitely re-used, so the only issue is the extraction from the plastic layer of the CD.
Anyway, what certainly seems clear is that there
is no clear answer to the question of "what's the most environmentally-responsible way to consume music"? Apart from, perhaps, NOT to consume it at all, which let's be honest is NEVER going to be an option! As I mentioned in my original post, streaming (over the internet) is of secondary importance to us although I've certainly noticed that I have been using more and more internet radio of late.
I think that in the interest of some balance between taking sensible measures and going so far as to cause unnecessary inconvenience, I shall be continuing to consume music in multiple ways - physical media and virtual media. I'll reduce down the energy consumption as much as possible, consider a lot more second-hand media (once it's possible to get out to record fairs and second-hand shops, of course - I used to love doing this years ago and have stopped doing that for some reason).
Going back to my original post, it doesn't seem as though there are many options in the "teeny-tiny-small" streamer market other than the ones I've already considered. So provided I can manage the heat output, and make sufficient physical space, I'll stick with my Sonos Connects.