Verizon Phone Books -- crazy and wasteful

[phonebooksRstup]

About a week ago, a car drove down my street and dropped two big white bags on everyones' lawns.  Opening mine up, I found that there were two exact sets of the same phonebooks (3 books in each set).  Does someone at Verizon still think that people have telephones in there houses which are tied to bookshelves which each need their own set of white pages, yellow pages, and a small ambiguously purposed phone book?

I'm not even a Verizon phone customer.  I use Cablevision VOIP, but for some reason I still get two sets.  I ended up saving one new set and tossing one new set and last year's set in the recycle bin.  Almost 25 pounds of paper.  Last year's books were hardly used.  This year's was not used at all.

I do realize that there is still a significant business in selling advertising space in printed yellow pages phonebooks, but the fact that you littered every house in my neighborhood with two sets is ridiculous.  There are even sets of the phone books still out in people's lawns waiting to be taken away by the garbage men. 

Can we somehow get an Opt Out list set up at Verizon so I can tell you that I really really don't want any more phone books delivered?  Clearly terminating my Verizon service a couple years ago hasn't helped.

[CharlesH]

The most important thing is that you get all the local important numbers ranging from Police, fire, gov't, etc.  Since not every one knows how to use a computer or is well versed in proper fact-finding...there's a need for people to get the phonebook.  It has nothing to do to Verizon...you are obligated to receive a copy per your state requirements and such. I wish i knew why people got two sets...I just assume that per the research done at the end of each book distribution...they found that X amount of people called in to get one more book because everyone wants 2 or 3 books.  So it makes sense to just load everyone with 2 books.  This is just what I personally think naturally...what the real reason is will be a mystery. lol

In any case, if you don't need it, please recycle! =P

[jc-smy-de]

Charles,

I think this is the kind of stuff that should be shouted LOUDLY when discovered.

I'm certain that there is a certain, GROWING, percentage of us out there that immediately toss the phone books out when we get them.

I know I do.

If it is a State Requirement, then we need to talk to the Public Services Commission to make this OPTIONAL.

Yes, I know it will make it "harder" for Verizon to track & send out phone books only to those who request them, but when it gets to the point when maintaining a database of people who want them and the cost of mailing books only to them is smaller than the cost producing and delivering ALL of them, I'm sure some accountant somewhere will say "Lets Do It".

If someone at Verizon has already done this, and they are just looking for a member of the public to make the comment, please, let us know.

I'm with the original poster - I know that "911" gets me emergency, and for everything else, I use Google, Superpages, etc.

Thanks.

James

[CharlesH]

Trust me, I'm with you James.  I can't remember the last time I have opened up a big book like that to get a telephone number, or anything.