We sometimes hear from folks who tell us that we are “crazy” or “out of touch” or they want to know where they can recycle these “relics” that have been deposited on their front porches. Others chastise us for “wasting trees” or being environmentally insensitive by publishing books that “no one uses”.
No one is more aware of how the local marketing landscape is changing than a company like ours that still publishes print phone directories. To keep up with consumers who want the directories (70% in U.S. rural areas and 40% in metro areas) and also keep up with people who opt-out of receiving phone books, and then also demonstrate how serious we are about environmental impacts and sustainability, we are always updating, improving and enhancing our processes.
Our friends at the Local Search Association have put together a very simple graphic to illustrate where directory paper comes from, how much paper use has declined, and how favorably the recycling rate for directories stacks up against other products.
