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
User comments
I think it is incredible that Sensis has not adopted a more socially responsible attitude and that automatic delivery is still happening. They should be finding ways to make their product more environmentally friendly, or better still putting all their efforts into their online directories.
Tanya - from an environmental point of view it would appear to be quite futile sending the directories back - we should stop them at the source i.e. they should not be sent out automatically.
Is there any way I can return the directories or would this defeat the purpose as I would be adding to transport emissions?
I cannot agree more with your comments about the white and yellow pages. This happens all around the world. Imagine how many trees get cut down and how much co2 is burned in the manufacture and transport of all this paper. We should all lobby the phone companies to stop this terrible waste.
Has anyone ever considered calculating the carbon footprint - particularly fuel - of delivering all these directories to every household in Australia?
