What happened to Plastic CD Cases?


I bought three new CD's yesterday. All three came in folding cardboard cases. The problem with these cardboard cases to me is threefold- first, I have to pinch the CD by the edge touching both the label side and the music side. Second, by dragging the CD out of the cardboard pocket, it just feels like I'm cutting the surface of the music side with cardboard fibers. And thirdly, stacking the cardboard cases on a shelf hides the Disc Title.

I cringe everytime I pull a CD out of one of these cardboard cases. It goes against all of my years of caring for records- and CD's. Worst, I have torn a couple of these cases when I tried squeezing on them to open the mouth wider and make it easier to pull out the disc.

Maybe plastic cases are not so environmentally friendly, but the music industry needs to drastically improve on the paper case.

Am I the only one who feels this way?
tonywinsc
There seems to be a difference in the Japan packaging that Grateful describes and US packaging. I do like the new mini-LP style but the US version is lacking in the paper sleeve that the CD goes in which the Japan version seem to have. I have a few Jack Johnson CD's that I wish came with the paper sleeve. If they would put that, I think that would be solves the OP problem of the CD getting scratched. Then it would be up to the non-audiophile to recycle the sleeve or not.
Screw less plastic, I WANT..NO I NEED to see the group and album name. cardboard and slim cases dont allow for that. Its not easy to look up a disc with a disability and its even worse when you cant tell from a couple feet what you are grabbing. This green stamp on everything is getting a bit old and I am sure many more then just me are growing quickly tired of the "movement".
I dount its about the planet, its about cost...less weight, less size equals easier and cheaper to ship, those who make mass volumes of cd's are probably alot like me and could care less about the panic stricken leaders of the green scream scheme, its about the bottom line.

hmmmm "Green Scream Scheme"....I kinda like that :)
I have no love of jewel cases. They waste space (even the slim ones) and are far from green. I much prefer the mini LP format. Also, more boxed sets are arriving with each CD in a cardboard sleeve, and the group of cardboard sleeves in a compact box. Finally, similar to the product suggested by Fpeel, check out http://www.jewelsleeve.com
Could someone please tell me how throwing away a plastic case that your cd comes in and buying a "green" alternative saves anything? It seems to me that you are actually using more resources by doing that.