This Week in the Mercury

Buster Keaton and Time-Traveling Hipsters

Film

Buster Keaton and Time-Traveling Hipsters

Making a Little Time for Oscar-Nominated Shorts


Globetrotter

Books

Globetrotter

Pam Houston's Contents May Have Shifted Travels the World with Grace



  |  

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Green When Will Phone Books Die?

Posted by Sarah Mirk on Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 11:18 AM

There are seven phone books at my house. I've piled them up in the kitchen so that they now form a convenient side table. But it's still unsettling. When will phone book companies realize their product is now defunct and wasteful, useless in the age of the internet and cell phones and offensive to people who like trees? This online petition to stop phone book distribution says there are more phone books distributed every year than the entire population of America. Companies like SBC Global and Verizon net up to $3.6 billion annually for chucking the piles of paper at my door. They deliver incessantly, rain or shine, undeterred by foreclosure signs or even this barbed wire fence on SE Alder.

42ba/1237918627-phone_book.jpg

 

Comments (21) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment
1
is there a way that we could all get together, store up several thousand of these and then leave them in the lobby at verizon or somewhere?
Posted by econoline on March 24, 2009 at 11:33 AM · Report
2
I had a beautiful moment this year when I did a near Przybilla-like block of my phone book delivery. Chucked it right back on to the sidewalk in front of the van seconds after I heard the telltale thud.
Posted by ranch d on March 24, 2009 at 11:37 AM · Report
3
We need a complete cultural shift from push to pull. If I want something, I'll ask. Otherwise, bugger off!
Posted by Suburban Porn King on March 24, 2009 at 11:50 AM · Report
4
Hey! Thats right next to my house! And right next to where they filmed part of 'Without a Paddle 2'. Don't know why that place is fenced off. It looks like a perfectly fine house to me. Just needs a little love.
Posted by Marq on March 24, 2009 at 12:04 PM · Report
5
Excellent question, Sarah. I think we need to ask the same question about the Boregonian's unsolicited delivery of their advertising section (or whatever it is -- I never read it).
Posted by a.O on March 24, 2009 at 12:15 PM · Report
6
How to stop phone books:
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/…
A boring video of what I did with the verizon phone books last year:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aILOOuG3-Vw
Then candidate Amanda Fritz on phone books:
http://www.amandafritz.com/node/1145
Posted by martin on March 24, 2009 at 12:27 PM · Report
7
I understand that many, many people don't use phone books anymore (including myself).

However, you should also understand that there are many, many people who do not have 24 hour access to the internet or cell phones. For them, phone books are still invaluable.

The best solution (until we are at a point where everyone really does have easy access to the internet) is to only distribute them to the people that request them.
Posted by nickeyrobo on March 24, 2009 at 12:30 PM · Report
8
GOD IS DEAD!
Posted by NIG GER on March 24, 2009 at 12:32 PM · Report
9
@ nickeyrobo: +1

@ Marq: That's also where we found that perfectly fine, albeit wet, couch that's in your basement. But, um, WHY THE FUCK DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT WITHOUT A PADDLE 2 WAS FILMING BY YOUR HOUSE?
Posted by Joneser on March 24, 2009 at 12:45 PM · Report
10
Martin, thank you for that link to Amanda's position on the phone book issue. I found myself agreeing with most of what she said.

The most important part of the phone book are the Blue Pages. I do not think it would be in the public's best interest to cease distribution of that part of the phone book.
Posted by Graham on March 24, 2009 at 12:47 PM · Report
11
Could we at least just limit distributing them to people who actually are phone company customers? I haven't had a land line in years (because I spent most of the time using it waiting on hold with Qwest for one reason or another) but I still have more phone books than one person can reasonably use.
Posted by tk. on March 24, 2009 at 12:47 PM · Report
12
What are the blue pages? How have I survived so long without knowing wtf these pages are‽‽‽‽‽‽‽‽‽‽
Posted by NIG GER on March 24, 2009 at 1:24 PM · Report
13
Thanks for the Fritz link, Martin. I like the idea of just distributing the 27 page blue book and only sending out the yellow pages tome on demand. I wonder if that means the city would have to pick up the tab for distribution, though.

I figure phone books will die out as people eventually stop paying to advertise in them. I feel like accident lawyers must fund 90% of the YellowPages printing costs.
Posted by s.mirk on March 24, 2009 at 1:48 PM · Report
14
Phonebooks will stop around the same time that the record companies give up suing people and the car companies start making bikes.
Posted by Will Radik on March 24, 2009 at 2:27 PM · Report
15
Here's what I did to end the phone book madness:

1) Adopt a ready-to-please pit mix puppy from the County Animal Shelter.

2) Feed and water him for a couple years until he/she's 50-80 lbs.

3) They will alert you to anything bigger than a pack of cigarettes being placed on your porch. When this happens, look onto the porch to see if the item is desired or not. If not, then proceed to step 4.

4) Toss object back towards delivery person with a friendly request to "please take this back". If they don't respond in an equally friendly measure, introduce them to your puppy from step 1.
Posted by merc_crem on March 24, 2009 at 2:29 PM · Report
16
Sarah, I think the blue pages could probably be easily distributed by the Post Office. In the same way that they shove a Voter's Pamphlet in every box, shove the Blue Pages in.
Posted by Graham on March 24, 2009 at 2:58 PM · Report
17
i live near that house and wonder who lives there, i never see anyone... ever.
Posted by M-Eyes on March 24, 2009 at 5:46 PM · Report
18
The US Supreme Court has ruled that you as a home owner or renter have the legal right to keep items such as this from being placed on your property or delivered to you against your will. The court even ordered the USPS to come up with a form for preventing individual bulk mailers from sending you mailings, but the USPS makes consumers believe these forms only apply to sexually explicit mailings, but the US Supreme Court ruled this form to be used for ANY mailing. So, if you press the point with the company putting the phone books on your fence/porch, then you've got every legal right to demand them stop delivering them to you -- and you can file a criminal trespass charge against them if they fail to comply with your wishes.
Posted by Know the law on March 25, 2009 at 6:16 AM · Report
19
For the Dex brand phone books, call the distributor, Idearc Media, and ask them to kindly remove the detritus they left on your porch. I make my call annually, and it disappears within a day or two. Call 503.643.8000
Posted by ElGordo on March 25, 2009 at 2:43 PM · Report
20
There are several options for opting out of phone book delivery. Granted, opt-in would be better, but at least it's a step in the right direction.

Dex and YellowBook both offer an online form where you can signup to be removed from their delivery list.
* Dex: http://selectyourdex.dexknows.com/SelectYo…
* Yellowbook http://corporate.yellowbook.com/contact-us…

You can also call the major yellow pages companies to request that you be removed from their delivery list:
* AT&T / YellowPages.com: 1-800-792-2665
* Dex / R.H. Donnelley: 1-877-243-8339
* Yellow Book: 1-800-373-3280

You might also try contacting the publishers in your area -- you can look them up at the following link:
href="http://www.ypassociation.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Environmental1&/AM/TEMPLATE.CFM?SECTION=Environmental1&TEMPLATE=/CustomSource/ZipSearch.cfm

You can find additional info at Eco Yellow Pages -- http://www.ecoyp.com/stop-delivery-of-phon…
Posted by Eco Yellow Pages on March 26, 2009 at 9:02 AM · Report
21
One should not have to pursue being removed from such lists, the work should be on their side to get you on a list. This is like saying a chemical is safe until proven unsafe,(f'd up).
Posted by inknbeans on September 3, 2009 at 9:14 PM · Report

Add a comment

Our Friends

Our Enemies

/images/adoftheweek.gif

ad of the day

The Handyman Pro - Your Honey-Do Specialist
Don’t let our name fool you. The Handyman Pro, LLC is a repair and remodel service provider with over 25-years experience. We cover all aspects of construction and repairs for residential and commercial clients.go


post an ad

All contents © Index Newspapers, LLC

115 SW Ash St. Suite 600
Portland, OR 97204

Contact Info | Privacy Policy | Production Guidelines | Terms of Use