What is the point of phone books?

Question

Physical ones, I mean. I get 2-3 per year (whites, yellows and both) - with the trend towards everything eco-friendly, how can this antiquated modality still be in use? What a waste!

Answer 1

People should be given a choice if they want one or not.  I personally do not, but everyone has their own preference.  Drives me crazy that they automatically drop them off at every address, and how many different companies do we need to make phone books?  One should be enough.  Sometimes they even drop off 4 or 5 at work and we don't use them, and recycling places don't take them all year around.  Very frustrating.

Answer 2

Phone books and yellow pages are still useful when it comes to finding local numbers and businesses.  I often find online versions are sometimes not as thorough as the actual phone books.  However, I do agree with you that there are way too many.  I feel one white/yellow combo per year is fine.  I just recycle them anyway.

Answer 3

I often ask that question myself, erm i duno because people these days are plan stu-pid and now  a days to get the book recycled you have to take the card part of it off as wel :s still puzzles me....

Answer 4

AAHHH,  progress!  By the time you reach my age,  and seen the changes I've seen,  the question is irreverent.  Look around,  there so many beautiful things to see and do,  phone books will take care of themselves.  God Bless you and America....

Answer 5

Theres no point. I don't know anyone who uses a phone book anymore =)

Answer 6

I agree. They are a waste. However, they are useful as someone said above for business contacts. But I agree. we get way to much different kinds of phone books.

Answer 7

Some people don't have access to the internet to look up phone numbers. Some people don't know how to use a computer at all. It's not a waste. A lot of people, including the elderly, don't  have the education to use or know about computers and noone to teach them. Hope this helps answer your question.

Answer 8

Believe it or not, not everyone has access to the Internet, and not everyone out there knows how to operate a computer. Also, often it's just easier and quicker to  look something up there than to fire up the computer, go through your email, and then get around to what you originally wanted, IF you even remember by then!

Answer 9

I agree, I get 10 phone books each year, and they go straight to the recycling can.  What a waste!

Answer 10

Well, one ery good reason--a lot of people don't have computers.  Many people can't afford them--especially millions of retired people.

They'll be phased out eventually, of course--but that's still a long way off.

Answer 11

good point there is no real point to them now especially as we have the internet now..

Answer 12

They're for art projects, to cover the floor if you have a new puppy in the house, an alternative to wrapping paper, to take up cupboard space, and to sit in front of your house for weeks before being brought in! =]

Answer 13

The main use for them are for local businesses, numbers for a pizza hut near you, and for people who can not access this information any where else at there house, ex. if someone does not own a PC.

But since most people may not use it and do not recycle the paper, then it becomes a waste of trees, energy, and money