Since Ed Kohler of The Deets recruited me as a fellow anti-phone book crusader, the dead tree impact of these makeshift booster chairs and sofa legs has diminished. It's pretty rare to see them littered at vacant houses anymore, or worse yet, dumped directly into alleys. One solution both Ed and I have called for is an opt-in system. Instead of the current system where you can opt out of phone books, (which by the way, vacant houses can't really do) you would only receive a phone book if you specifically requested one.
The door hanger appeared to specifically set up the opt-IN process, until I looked at my feet to see yet another phone book that will simply make its way to the recycling bin. I'm still trying to figure out how this phone book got left at the doorstep, and I'm picturing the delivery crew putting the door hanger in place, then counting "ONE Mississippi, TWO Mississippi, THREE Mississippi...well, he hasn't opted out. Time to leave a book or two and check off the address as another satisfied customer."
How about this arrangement, Dex? When I need extra insulation for my house, or kindling for a bonfire, or a counterweight for land mines or booby traps, or really REALLY bad wallpaper, or a paperweight that is also a meta-paperweight, or reading material for an internet cafe on April Fools' Day, or a phone-book-armored car (how cool is THAT?!), then I will call YOU. Deal?
I don't know about the whole opt in thing. I'm not sure people will actually know when they need a yellow book or not. Its easy to say I don't need this and not ask but then when you need pizza or some other service you may not be able to find what you need. Then since you opted out how ya going to get your stuff since you can't opt in instantly. Not all persons have internet access and unless RT is going to provide free internet to each house we can't rely on all persons having internet access. I think we need to ensure each person has a regulated directory that has all the numbers someone would need. Maybe if they can demonstrate they have another way to get information like the internet they could then opt out. Until then I think we need to provide these to each person.
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