Phone book banishment

Do you get a phone book each year but don’t have any use for it? If so, you’re not alone. Many people, these days, use the Internet when looking up addresses and phone numbers. Still, millions of phone books are printed every year. What’s the solution? Well, there’s a movement to opt out of getting the big, bulky book. Proponents see it as similar to the National Do Not Call Registry. According to the Web site www.yellowpagesgoesgreen.org there are many environmental reasons to curb the production of unwanted books. Here are just a few effects of printing 500 million copies annually:

• 19 million trees harvested

• 1.6 million pounds of paper wasted

• 7.2 millions barrels of oil for processing

• 268,000 cubic yards of landfill space are filled

The movement attempts to eliminate the unsolicited delivery of phone books. To sign a petition, visit the above Web site. Meanwhile, a similar drive is happening over at www.banthephonebook.org. This site, however, would like to see the implementation of an opt-in program (receive a book only if one is requested).