Research released today shows that three quarters (75%) of Britain’s school children believe that phonebooks should only be delivered to those that ask for them.
The campaign has teamed up with Intuitive Media, award-winning safe social network provider, on their sites SuperClubsPlus.com and GoldStarCafe.net to survey almost 3,000 school children aged 6-14 years old*. The children have voiced their concerns by producing poems, writing articles and drawing pictures that help them to share their opinions on the waste caused by unwanted phonebooks.
Results from the survey also showed that 70% of kids think we are all responsible for climate change while 71% believe that as a nation we produce too much waste.
The children expressed their feelings on the waste caused by phonebooks including
• “Only give phonebooks to those who want them”
• “Stop making phonebooks. Only produce products on demand”
• “Produce less things we really don’t use”
• “Wasting less phonebooks is just a start”
• “Make everyone order a phonebooks each year and specify which one they would like to receive”
Carole Fletcher, MD, Intuitive Media says “This campaign has really caught the interest of the children, many of whom feel very strongly about wasting natural resources. This is one small step that will make a huge difference.”
Dominic Blackburn, Product Director 192.com comments “These findings go to show that this generation is growing up with the internet and simply does not understand the need for outdated media like printed directories.”
To make better use of the millions of unwanted phonebooks in the UK school children are taking part in a competition to make papier mache sculptures and models out of the pages from unwanted phonebooks. The competition will be judged by celebrity green campaigner Dick Strawbridge and the winner will win a prize for their school.
The campaign petition on the Downing St website already has over 6,500 signatures making it the most supported environmental campaign on the petition website.
For those people wanting to know how to get their directory enquiry searches for free online, read the lastest guidance on the 192.com blog: http://blog.192.com/
In just three weeks since the launch of the campaign the e-petition on the Downing Street website (http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/NoPhonebooks/) has become the most supported environmental petition, even overtaking a petition calling for a stop to Heathrow’s third runway! The petition has reached 26th position in the full list of more than 4,500 petitions running on the site demonstrating the widespread support of the British people. The ‘Say No To Phonebooks’ petition has already accumulated over 5,500 signatures, a number that is growing daily.
We are now looking to gain the support of UK school children by working in partnership with Intuitive Media, an award-winning safe social learning network provider. In a survey of school children on SuperClubsPlus.com and GoldStarCafe.com, 83% said they were very concerned about the environment and 85% said that phone books should only be sent to those who ask for them. The campaign has challenged these kids to find the best alternative use for unwanted phonebooks whether that be through sculptures, structures or other creative concepts.
Since the launch of the campaign a number of leading UK councils have also offered their support to the campaign including Hammersmith & Fulham, Kingston Council and Wandsworth Council.The video has also already had more than 2500 views on YouTube and there have been lively discussions on the Facebook fan page engaging hundreds of campaign fans.
We need more support to make things happen so please get your friends and family to sign the petition!
The Sun newspaper has declared that the number could be up for phone books.
“More than 75 million are delivered to UK homes each year but a campaign begins today to slash this figure to cut waste. Online directory service 192.com and Global Action Plan want us to “opt in” to get a new directory.”
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.”
Today, 192.com officially launches the Downing St e-petition as part of its ‘Say No To Phoneboks’ campaign. If you believe that we should have a choice whether 3 telephone directories a year are dumped on our doorsteps, then sign the e-petition now: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/NoPhonebooks/
The annual production of phonebooks in the UK equates to 62,000 tons of waste – enough to cover Hyde Park, two phonebooks deep! You can also see what phonebooks are costing the earth on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg4VEKqQvNc
You’re welcome to add this viral to your own website to help spread the world about the totally unnecessary waste of natural resources that goes into unwanted phonebooks. Find instructions in the top right hand corner our YouTube page.
