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13.Oct.2009 Is the number up for Yellow Pages?

Filed In: News, Printed Phonebooks, Waste

Leo Hickman, Environment Editor at the Guardian, comments today on the ‘Say No To Phonebooks’ campaign today:

“But the point about this particular campaign is that it is pointing out that a significant percentage of people (including me – and, yes, I will now be opting out, now that I know about it) don’t want these things left on their doorstep. Whereas with a newspaper I ‘opt in’ by going into a newsagent and buying one – they are not left on my doorstep unwanted alongside all the other junk mail we have to put up with. (Of course, there is a debate to had about the distribution method of freesheets.) Personally, I think this opt-in idea for phonebooks is a good one – a bit like why people are arguing for organ donations to be operated (sorry) on an opt-out basis. It just makes sense. Period.”

Read his full original article including some interesting comments from his readers at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/oct/13/number-up-yellow-pages

If you want to make a difference, sign the e-petition now: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/NoPhonebooks/

5 Comments

Comment Pages

There are 5 Comments to "Is the number up for Yellow Pages?"

  • Oscar says:
    October 14, 2009 at 2:02 am

    Yeah, while we’re at it, why don’t we start a petition against newspapers. I mean, let’s face it, everything we read in the newspapers can be found online within seconds. And it’s better updated. And it would cost less. And would require less oil through distribution. Newspapers are dead. Let’s opt-out of newspapers being printed.

    In fact, how about magazines? They can be issued & read online. Subscribed to. Blogged about. Tweeted. Yeah. Let’s opt-out of magazines being printed.

    Books? There must be billions of books that sit in the shops unread. With e-readers available, noone reads or needs books anymore. Let’s opt-out of books being printed. Then the publishers can just print on a case-by-case basis.

    Birthday cards? Who actually keeps a birthday card these days? You can send e-cards now. Much better. Yeah. Let’s opt-out of receiving cards by post.

    What a ridiculously poor attempt at profiteering. Shame on you 192.com.

    Reply
  • Jilly Bussey says:
    October 14, 2009 at 3:23 am

    If the internet were more reliable and contact numbers more readily available, then yes, I would sign the petition.

    Reply
  • Katie Gardner says:
    October 14, 2009 at 4:25 am

    Many website offer free directory enquiries. 192.com is one of them. The benefit of online directories are that they are updated daily, offer UK wide coverage and offer richer information such as maps.

    Please also note that this campaign is about giving people the choice. If you want a phonebook, you should have the choice to opt-in to receive one. If you don’t use printed phonebooks, then you should have the choice not to have them dumped on your doorstep. Its seems an environmental and economic waste to produce phonebooks for those people that simply don’t use them.

    Reply
  • Rob Slack says:
    October 14, 2009 at 6:49 am

    Is the campaign about “giving people choice” or (since it is an opt-IN) hoping people will forget to do that and so become more reliant on 192.com? I don’t think I’m being overly skeptical if I say the latter may be a part of the reason for the campaign.

    Look at the SPIN:
    “If you want a phonebook, you {should have the choice} to opt-in to receive one. If you don’t use printed phonebooks, then you {should have the choice not to have them dumped on your doorstep}.”

    Giving people choice? Of course it is good! How could anyone disagree with more choice?

    They could say: If you don’t want it you can opt out.

    Aren’t the expressions in { } PURE SPIN?

    Reply
  • J Doe says:
    October 14, 2009 at 10:27 am

    ridiculous I need the phone book every single day
    It’s esaie than any internet with all these ads and incriptions to get a single phone number
    I luve the phone book

    Reply

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