The City of San Francisco has decided to make the Yellow Pages and other print directories purely opt-in, meaning unless a resident asks for one, they will not get one delivered onto their doorsteps.
In the age of online searches and smart phones, fewer people are turning towards the venerable paper phone directory for information. San Francisco currently has 1.6 million business directories delivered each year, which, when stacked, would be 8 1/2 times the height of Mt. Everest.
While many cities have an opt-out option for phone directories, San Francisco is believed to be the first municipality to go for an opt-in option. The city’s Board of Supervisors has already voted 10-1 to pass the legislation to ban the delivery of unwanted directories. It will face a second vote this week, which is expected to pass.
According to the Board of Supervisors, the directories not only cause seven million pounds of paper waste per year, but also damage the city’s recycling equipment, due to its bulk.
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