Sunday, August 10, 2008

No more yellow pages

Does anyone use the phone book anymore? I don't. If you don't, you can go here and ask to be removed from their list: Yellowpagesgoesgreen.org

15 comments:

kenc said...

Those books got 13 BILLION references last year. At $4 a gallon for gas, you had better believe I’m using my book more to find what I need and call the business first before just driving over there. I suggest you try that also. That way you can save some fuel yourself.

And if you weren't aware of it, the Yellow Pages industry doesn’t knock down any trees for its paper!!! Let me repeat that – they don’t need to cut any trees for their paper supply. Currently, on average, most publishers are using about 40% recycled material (from the newspapers and magazines you are recycling curbside), and the other 60% comes from wood chips and waste products of the lumber industry. If you take a round tree and make square or rectangular lumber from it, you get plenty of chips and other waste. Those by-products make up the other 60% of the raw material needed. Note that these waste products created in lumber milling would normally end up in landfills. Not only that, as wood chips decompose, they emit methane, a greenhouse gas closely associated with global warming.

Eyes said...

Doesn't really matter to me. I never use it. Haven't used it since the Internet came into being.

Eyes said...

Doesn't really matter to me. I never use it. Haven't used it since the Internet came into being.

Brooke said...

I always throw mine out when the drop it. I've got a desktop widget to do phone numbers.

Eyes said...

What's a desktop widget? I usually just google whatever it is I'm looking for.

Anonymous said...

It doesn't matter how many trees are used to make the books or what is used to make the books or how much a gallon of gas is, was or will be. The fact that the Yellow Pages publishers continue to send me and millions of others a product made of recycled anything is immaterial.

The bigger issue is at some point in time, the publishers of Yellow Pages books decided that every household has to have their book. Delivered on the doorstep. Several times a year. Whether people asked for it or want it or not. I've been around the block a few times and I don't ever remember once asking any Yellow pages publisher to send me their book. Ever.

If you use the books or might use the books one day - great! Keep getting the books and use them as you please. And make sure to tell businesses you do business with - that you found in a Yellow Pages book - where you found them. Even IF THEY DON'T ASK! They need to know the very big vat of cash they're putting toward Yellow pages advertising each and every year is working. Oh yeah, better tell 'em WHICH Yellow Pages book you used as well. Remember, there are more than one and the business owner needs to know which one.

If you don't use the Yellow Pages books and think they're draining our natural resources (whether they are or not) - you're better off to call the publishers of each Yellow Pages book that you don't want any longer DIRECT and tell them to take your name off their list. It's a relatively easy process and even though they pretend they're happy to help you, most likely they are not. No big deal.

Of course, they'll tell you they can't do it immediately (which is a joke) but be patient and eventually you'll be off the list. Remember, they need to keep you on their list as long as possible to keep their distribution numbers up to continue to be able to charge the big ad rates!

Like some of the cigarette manufacturers are just now starting to do - the best thing the Yellow Pages publishers could do is actively inform the public how to opt-out of receiving the books on their doorstep. Yes, the universe of people with books containing their advertiser's ads would be much, much smaller. And that would have a definite adverse impact on future ad rates. Which would adversely affect the bottom line.

But guess what? Everyone continuing to receive the print books would be doing so because they want to keep receiving the books. WOW...what a concept!

These people would be saying (to the small business advertisers) YES, send me the book, send me your ads, tell me what you're doing, tell me how to contact you when I need what you're selling. The Yellow Pages is the first place, and maybe the only place, I look when deciding who to do business with in my local area. WOW...what a concept!

To all of the Yellow Pages publishers, here's my message in a bottle: it's only a matter of time before you'll be supporting opt-out or being forced to implement an opt-out program.

Forget about all the people that don't want the books. Find the people who still do want the books because they're the ones who are saying to you and your advertisers who write your paychecks -- I'M YOUR CUSTOMER...TALK TO ME.

Brooke said...

Hey Eyes. On Mac, you have a 'clear screen' that will overlay your desktop at the touch of a button. On that screen, you can put little free programs from the Mac store, like a dictionary, white/yellow pages, weather forecasts, lava lamps, ect.

They're called widgets.

Eyes said...

Cool! I have a PC, so I guess I don't have it...

Eyes said...

Hey Brooke, Cool! I wish I had a MAC! Can you believe these trolls? Sheesh... You'd think I was posting about something serious, like ISLAM!

Brooke said...

Methinks a paid phone company operative found you... LOL!

Eyes said...

:>O yep!

cjp said...

Or another alternative might be using the internet yellow pages. Like DexKnows.com or others? Help save a tree!

The Merry Widow said...

I use my yellow pages...and recycle them.

tmw

Brooke said...

TMW, I HOPE by 'recycling' you mean you use it for the bird cage!

Are you going green?!? Don't make me come down there and shake some sense into you!!!

;)

Eyes said...

Hey Brooke, I think there's always been a little green in me!