One of the few unwelcome signs of spring is the appearance of unwanted phone books.  According to the City of Pittsburgh trash collection schedule, phone books are recyclable, but many people don’t seem to bother.

What a waste of time and resources.  Not everyone needs or wants new phone books each year; lots of people don’t use them at all anymore.  But each year thousands of phone books are printed and delivered.  Many sit outside rotting for weeks, creating an eyesore, marking empty buildings, and littering the neighborhood.

It would be so nice not to have to clean up this mess every year.  With enough public pressure, companies might be motivated to come up with a ways to identify the people who actually want a phone book.   Would it really be so difficult to only distribute what was needed, instead of regularly blanketing neighborhoods with instant trash?

Until that day comes, please put unwanted phone books out to recycle.  Or bring  them to the PHCA office, and we will take them to Construction Junction to be recycled.  If you have some extra energy, look around your street and collect any that are  still sitting out.  And if you’re really feeling energetic, contact these companies and ask them to do things differently.