Should Phone Books/Yellow Pages go away?

[lurkingdirk]

When was the last time you used a phone book? I haven't used one for years, yet twice a year (at least), I get one or two delivered to my house. It is a ridiculous amount of paper, lots of ink, and it does nothing but get recycled. Most everyone I know no longer uses a phone book, because of the internet.

Someone asked me, "but what do you do when the power goes out?" Simple, use the internet on my cell phone, or use my cell phone to call someone who does have the internet. What if you don't have a cell phone? Get one, Luddite.

Your thoughts? Do you use phone books? I think this is a dead industry.

 

[StanScratch]

I use mine to prop hot plates on my lap when eating dinner.

 

[grower_boy]

I feel like you should be able to get one if you want one, but they should be through special order. There's no reason to waste all that paper and ink printing them for people who never use them. Personally, I never use them. Usually when I call for delivery food, I just use the menus they mail. Or I look for numbers online.

 

[Doc Scurlock]

The only people I know who'll use a phone book or Yellow Pages are people like my folks who don't know how to use a computer. Even though, the probably only crack the Yellow Pages open maybe five times per year.

 

[Will E Worm]

Not everyone is on the Internet. No one is on it all the time.
Why log onto the Internet when a book is available?


Internet access and speeds still are not close to being equal in America.
Link

Even with the Internet illiteracy rates are out of control. We still need books and always will.

 

[Spleen]

I'd prefer to vote for option 4 "No, I don't use either, you dumb bastard"

Why log onto the Internet when a book is available?

Even with the Internet illiteracy rates are out of control. We still need books and always will.

It's hardly a great work of fiction, it's a phone book. You aren't going to learn anything by reading it. You'll probably just get a headache.

 

[lurkingdirk]

Not everyone is on the Internet. No one is on it all the time.
Why log onto the Internet when a book is available?


Internet access and speeds still are not close to being equal in America.
Link

Even with the Internet illiteracy rates are out of control. We still need books and always will.

Sure, I understand that, but should everyone get a phone book? You don't see an issue with waste in that?

 

[Will E Worm]

It's hardly a great work of fiction, it's a phone book. You aren't going to learn anything by reading it. You'll probably just get a headache.

It's a good thing to have around and I have never had a headache reading one. I have chronic chronic migraines. I should know.

Sure, I understand that, but should everyone get a phone book? You don't see an issue with waste in that?

There could be an opt out program.

 

[lurkingdirk]

There could be an opt out program.

Or there could be an "if you want one, order it" program.

 

[Vanilla Bear]

I don't get me the books anymore.

Yeah it's pretty much a waste. Even though I think it's recycled paper, no?

 

[Will E Worm]

Or there could be an "if you want one, order it" program.

No, an opt out program. I want people who don't want them to do the work. :tongue:

I don't get me the books anymore.

Yoda or is this pirate talk?

 

[Ace Bandage]

Whenever one shows up on my doorstep it immediately gets put into the recycling bin. I have Google. I cannot remember the last time I actually used a phone book to look up something. I can look it up on my cell phone and even dial it from there. That's much easier.

The only thing they're useful for now is being ripped in half by motivational speakers telling kids to stay away from drugs.

 

[dbradford8589]

I understand some people still use them but I would like to tell them to not leave any on my doorstep anymore. Even if I wanted them the ones they leave for me are useless because I don't know much spanish.

 

[Will E Worm]

National Yellow Pages consumer choice opt-out program. Link

Directory paper does not come from freshly cut trees.
In fact, the pulp that is used to make directory paper comes from recycled newspapers and residual chips, a by-product of sawmills left after logs are converted to lumber. That is, the chips become paper pulp instead of going into landfills or being burned.

 

[lurkingdirk]

So, using energy and manpower to produce these things is justified, because it is recycled paper? Why not do something better/more useful with those resources?

A few facts:

There are enough phone books created each year to measure 106,700 miles when lined up end to end. This means they would circle around the earth about 4.28 times!

About 80 percent of all U.S. paper mills use some recycled material in their manufacturing service. It is estimated that about 200 mills use ONLY recycled material.

540 million telephone directories are distributed each year.

http://earth911.com/recycling/paper/phone-books/facts-about-phone-books/

 

[D-rock]

They are still a little useful to me, but they give out way too many. They should send them out to people that want them once every two or three years instead of giving out three or four a year like they do now. That's just ridiculous.

I think part of the reason they still make as many of them as they do is so they can use it as an excuse to charge people for making them.

 

[L3ggy]

It's a waste of good paper.

 

[Thomas O'Malley]

In Belgium they don't exist anymore, expect for people who specificly ask for one. I say it's a good thing, after all, there's internet now.

 

[FreeOnes_Anders]

They are brilliant for beating up salesmen and jehovas witnesses that ring your doorbell... or so I´ve heard.

 

[Ace Bandage]

They are brilliant for beating up salesmen and jehovas witnesses that ring your doorbell... or so I´ve heard.

That's what handguns are for.