Phone books a reminder to consume consciously
I just returned to my house to be greeted by a most unwelcome drop-in: the Talking Phone Book, completely unsolicited, unwanted, unneeded and worst of all, so totally wasteful. Following the suggestion of the walking-finger icon in its upper left corner, I grabbed both and let my fingers do the walking, taking both straight to the brown recycle receptacle, wondering and worrying all the way over how wasteful this effort had been.
So now it's time for an inventory of how I handle all resources and what underlying values direct my fingers as they do the walking with innumerable things every day — frugality or wastefulness, savings or consumption? The one reality is that there will be little corporate leadership in this endeavor; the political leadership is only slightly less anemic. The answer is somewhere in the muddle of those innumerable day-to-day decisions that we all as consumers must make. Rejecting the passive acceptance of wasteful consumption is a first step in rediscovering that core value of frugality. The next time that the grocery store clerk asks "paper or plastic," I need to say "I've got my own tote bags, thank you!"
Doug Berry
Greensboro
Comments (14)
To report abuse of the comment feature on this site, please use the feedback form at the bottom of any page.
Doug, you have way too much time on your hands if you have to write a philosophical letter to the editor about tossing a phone book into a recycle bin. Get a life.
Posted on December 28, 2006 6:26 AM
I wonder what the result would be if the kid bagging his groceries asked Doug if he wanted a new phone book?
Posted on December 28, 2006 6:55 AM
Thanks to all three of you (LTE writer included) for a good laugh to start the morning. Just think... in this country, we have a CHOICE of phone books! Isn't America great?
Posted on December 28, 2006 7:17 AM
Hey bunny, let's see if this thread can go without politics!
Posted on December 28, 2006 7:29 AM
Dan, hahaha I'm sure it will morph sooner or later! However maybe it's just common knowledge who's REALLY behind the Talking Phone Book. Thanks for another giggle.
Posted on December 28, 2006 8:21 AM
Mr. Berry: I'm wondering if you say the same thing about the BellSouth directory? We don't request it either, but it shows up at our door. Personally, I prefer the Talking Phone Book because it's easier to read, however for the most part, I look up numbers on the internet rather than go to the phone book.
If I'm lucky enough to be home when the BellSouth books are delivered, I refuse them. Otherwise, it takes the same trip as your Talking Phone Book - off to the big brown can!
Dan: I'm thinking that the political rants will begin around the topic of "recycling." *grin*
Posted on December 28, 2006 8:37 AM
I agree with the letter writer! I'm tired of having phone books shoved down my throat, cluttering my yard and demanding my action to remove this voluminous pile of litter to the trash can.
This is a class action lawsuit waiting to happen. I want in on the ground floor!
Posted on December 28, 2006 9:42 AM
Hugh: I think we should forward all our junk mail to the phone book people!
Posted on December 28, 2006 10:16 AM
The "Talking phone book" is a piece of crap anyway. The listings are incomplete, and most businesses do not use it. The phone company's book contains up to the minute (time of printing) listings whereas the "other" book is just a reprint of white page listings from the first of the year. If you have to use a book, use the one called "The REAL yellow pages", or you can do as I do, use the computer.
Posted on December 28, 2006 10:20 AM
The talking phone books make their money off telling their advertisers, "This book goes into 'X' number of houses each year.
Kinda like the rhino times telling advertisers that they have 'x' number of readers.
I must admit, I clip the coupons out of the talking phone book, and check out the photos in the rhino times, before tossing them.
Posted on December 28, 2006 11:46 AM
I don't use the talking phone book- I simply prefer the competition's product.
As for the LTE author, complain about waste all you like, but please understand that this is advertising, and all advertising at some level is wasted. As bunny suggested above, competition is a good thing. At least we're not getting a bill for it!
Posted on December 28, 2006 11:57 AM
isn't all this text . . . a waste also
Posted on December 28, 2006 12:51 PM
Awwwww, Moto. We were having fun. *wink*
Posted on December 28, 2006 3:43 PM
Moto- not really a waste. I recycle my pixels regularly.
Posted on December 28, 2006 4:27 PM