Doorstep Spam
Another set of phone books was dropped on my doorstep this Saturday. There were two sets (large and travel-sized) of yellow pages and a set of white pages. I added them to the stack of phone books that I've received this year. It got me thinking. I haven't actually used a phone book in years--the internet has made them completely unnecessary. How are they any different than spam, junk mail, or fliers that are left on car windshields? They are just another form of irritating advertising that I didn't ask for and don't want.
I did some searching online and came across the Paperless Petition website. They claim that 540 million directories were printed this year. I just checked the population of the United States and it's (roughly) 302,962,103 people. That's about 1.78 books per person! I can see some use for phone books, but that ridiculous!
4 Responses to “Doorstep Spam”
1. Tad
September 24th, 2007
I did some more checking and it may be possible to opt out of getting some phone books. The phone number for Dex is:
1-877-243-8339
I called, but their “offices are currently closed”. I’ll have to try back tomorrow.
2. Richard
September 24th, 2007
I have an extreme dislike of phone directories. I use the internet anymore for any lookups that I need. The last time I used a phone directory was as a stand for plants on the top of my high cupboards.
3. Tad
September 25th, 2007
I came across this video today.
4. Garrett
September 27th, 2007
I do occasionally use phone books, as it seems like a lot of businesses around Logan don’t always show up with internet searches, and sometimes I don’t want to have to walk all the way upstairs to find out Domino’s number. Still, I think at last count I’ve gotten at least three already this year to go with the 5 or so we already had, and none of the numbers I look up have ever changed. I left one in the driveway and drove over it quite a few times because I thought it was some trash the neighbor kids left out. I see no reason they should spam the things out as often as they do. Oh well, at least I can practice the “tear the phone book in half” trick until I’ve got it down.
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