Stop Useless Phone Book Distribution!
April 30, 2008
What a colossal waste! Every year over 660, 000 tons of telephone books are thrown out. And as far as we can tell, there is no way to stop them–until now. Portland Octopus is taking on the phone book companies, but we need your help! When was the last time you, or anyone you know for that matter, used a phone book? Flashback: It’s the spring of 1996 and I’m alone, gangly and pimpled, in my parents kitchen, frantically flipping through the tattered Yellow Pages, seeking a miracle date for the junior prom. Oh Sally Sanders, must you forever be washing your hair! You see, the phone book does no one any good–not even 1996 Sally Sanders. In a world of paperless internet services and Google 411, phone books are an archaic source of information and a ridiculous waste of paper. We would like to see an end to this unwanted barrage of crappy ads and fallen trees. In the famous words of the late great Peter Finch in the 1976 film Network, “We’re as mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore!!” To sign our ad hock petition, leave a comment to this post. After we have a significant number of comments, we are going to forward the page to all the major players in the phone book waste conspiracy. You can count on Portland Octopus to take on the man! Portland style.
Here are some other ways to help stop this problem:
1. Opt Out
Click here (https://ss82.shared.server-system.net/~paperlesspetition.org/sign.php) to request that your name and address be removed from the Yellow Pages printed directory mailing list (not sure if this works or not–has anyone tried this yet? does it work?)
2. Get Just One
If you still want to get one phone book, not 10 at a time. Call the individual titles directly. Tell them how many books you want a year and to stop unloading duplicates on your front porch.
AT&T/YellowPages (formerly SBC and Bell South):
1-800-792-265
Dex:
1-877-243-8339
Yellow Book:
1-800-373-3280 or 1-800-373-2324
3. Write a letter to the Yellow Pages Association
Yellow Pages Association (YPA)
Global Headquarters
Two Connell Drive, First Floor
Berkeley Heights, N.J. 07922-2747
(908) 286-2380
(908) 286-0620 (Fax)
4. Go to the Commander and Chief
Hit up the president of the Yellow Pages Association for some one-on-one fire.
Mr. Negley (Neg) Norton
President, Yellow Pages Association (YPA)
Two Connell Drive, First Floor
Berkeley Heights, N.J. 07922-2747
(908) 286-2385
Neg.Norton@ypassociation.org
5. Sign the Petition
Tell congress to make unsolicited phone book distribution illegal. Sign the petition at PaperlessPetition.org.
We tried to stop the mayhem and we STILL get phone books! Have you ever seen the phone book delivery process? Most haven’t.
It’s a bunch of wild teens doing “community service” on Monday nights. About two or three of them ride in the back of an open slow-moving Budget truck, pitching the bundles to two or three other punks who run the streets with them. No one is saying, “Hey Charlie, don’t deliver to number 344, they requested we stop delivering.” They have had too many Rockstars to give a shit and probably can’t read anyway.
What Ryan said.
We have tried to get them stopped - to no avail.
I would love to save them from the entire neighborhood and have them delivered to the CEOs office.
When you guys figure out a plan, let me know. I’m in. All phone books are good for anymore is ripping in half to impress girls. Only I never could rip one anyway…
I get so angry every time another set shows up at my door. Not only have I not used them in more than 5 years, but phone companies I don’t have anything to do with drop them off. I made a footrest out of the first two and the rest went straight into recycling.
It’s the tragic waste of the trees that’s so criminal. Surely in Portland we could make it stop somehow.
A-fucking-men. I can’t stand these things. I believe we still have one in its original delivery bag still sitting on our porch from weeks ago. Anyone have connections with the city so we can get something done?
Nearly 90% of adults used the printed yellow pages last year. If you are ready to spend money, the printed yellow pages is the best source to find reliable local businesses. Have you ever tried to shop for local businesses on the search engines? All you get is listings. The printed directories are full of useful buying information.
You are obviously part of the 10% that do not use printed yellow pages. Only 50% of households have broadband internet services. How are those that do not have broadband supposed to find local businesses???