How Many Phone Books Do We Really Need?

I just received my 6th phonebook for the year and I can't help but think of the waste. Do other countries get this kind of marketing? I am guessing that conservatively, 1/3 of the US population receive these, so that is around 100 million times 6. Doesn't that sound a bit excessive, 600 million phonebooks sent out? Sounds like a lot of trees that wind up going from mailbox straight to the recycle bin. Well, I guess the "recycling" part isn't so bad, but the cost, effort and resources used to put them out seems wasteful.

spec

Even in the teeny tiny little British isles we get through 75million phone books a year. It does seem like an amazing waste of time, resources and effort.
People were suggesting an "opt in" scheme for them here were they only send you one if you ask, I think that's a good idea.

Six in one year??? Wow. Down here in the Carib, some of us fight for phone books. Me, I don't care if I have one or not -- last year's or the year before works the same way it seems.

A related aside -- when we lived in the U.S., I would occasionally shop for m'Bride in Victoria's Secret. At one point I was getting four catalogues every time they issued one. It was almost impossible to unsubscribe to them -- they seemed to have a bazillion of the damn things, and didn't seem to be very concerned over the fact that three of the four that I got ended up in the recycle bin.

I think most of the problem is a lack of concern for resources by those that produce these catalogues. I order from NorthernTool a fair amount. They ALWAYS send a catalogue with the order, as does JC Penny, Land's End, etc. ALL that stuff is viewable online, and they KNOW that we're online, because that's how we order stuff. Just frittering away paper and resources.

I share your disgust with this overkill. At least those annoying leaflets that fall out of newspapers are usually specials that are unique to that week.

reply to post by davespanners

People were suggesting an "opt in" scheme for them here were they only send you one if you ask, I think that's a good idea.

I like the sound of that.
A few of ours are from Verizon, so maybe I can call them an opt out.

reply to post by argentus

I think most of the problem is a lack of concern for resources by those that produce these catalogues.

Agreed, and I realize there are those that would argue "jobs and growth," but when it comes to natural resources, selective management( as in not wasteful) must be utilized. But it is probably another exhibition of profit before people, imo.
The newspaper and junkmail? Don't even get me started

spec

Just like the OP, I used to get 6 or more phone books per year. What finally ended it was when I stopped using phone companies and went with a cable company for my phone service. I'm so glad I don't get any phone books anymore. What a waste of paper!