White and Yellow Pages Recycling Nightmare
Just the other week 5 White Pages directories were dropped outside my block of flats, they all ended up in the recycling bins (or worse in our landfill) because everyone in the complex already had enough tyre blocks, monitor stands and useless garbage lying around their apartments.
There is a sign on my letter box that reads "No Junk Mail Please" - to no avail. The Yellow Pages directory for instance is simply a book of adverts, how is that not junk mail? It is not personally addressed to me hence avoiding the correct code of conduct when delivering advertising material.
I know there are some people who still use these directories, my parents still find them useful for instance, but what is the point in delivering them to millions of households that will simply throw them away - further adding to our already overfull landfills around the country?
A simple solution would be to provide an 'Opt-in' system for those who still want hard copy directories (suggestion: reply paid card in the next directory for those who wish to still receive a hard copy). However, fear of revenue losses may prevent this from becoming the norm i.e. the more directories printed the greater the alleged audience which in turn means higher prices of advertisments.
Every man, woman and his/her dog has access to the internet these days and can check both directories online: http://www.whitepages.com.au and http://www.yellowpages.com.au
Alternatively there is always the free service at google: https://www.google.com/local/add/
Surely the time has come to stop this massive, unnecessary waste of paper, ink and energy of printing thousands of tons of directories each year and wasting energy and resources delivering them to each household?
By Marc Greenstock, GreenBizCheck
