Friday, October 30, 2009

Yellow Books and Halloween - I can tell you how to get rid of one.

Ah, the yellow pages. No matter how many times I move, those hefty tomes seem to follow me everywhere I go. I moved into a new place last month, and I was rejoicing over the fact that the previous owner hadn't left stacks of old ones hidden in a drawer somewhere. But just when I thought I was safe, it happened. A Yellow Book. On my doorstep. In a plastic bag.

The funny thing is that I don't even have a landline, but apparently that doesn't make a difference.

However, with a bit of effort, it turns out that I can rid myself of them forever. You can go to YellowPagesGoesGreen and enter your mailing info to opt out of delivery. I also found this blog that lists all of the numbers needed to call to opt out of receiving unsolicited phone books.

Depending on where you live, here are the numbers:

AT&T/YellowPages (formerly SBC and Bell South):

1.800.792.2665

Verizon (Idearc):

1.800.888.8448

Dex:

1.877.243.8339

Yellow Book:

1.800.373.3280 or 1.800.373.2324

This left me with the problem of what to do with the yellow book I already have. I went to the Yellow Book Recycling Directory and entered in my zip code to find a place to recycle it. In Seattle, the phone books can go in the regular commingled recycling, so check with your municipality first to see if the same rules apply where you live.

Here's to only finding trick-or-treaters on our doorstep next Halloween!

Friday, October 23, 2009

What Are You Doing Tomorrow?

No matter your whereabouts or plans, chances are you can find an International Day of Climate Action sponsored by 350.org near you. I've written about 350 before, and one of the founders is featured in my book. They are doing incredible work to raise awareness about climate change, and tomorrow's day of action is one that you can easily be involved in.

4500 events will be held in 181 countries to "call for strong action and bold leadership on the climate crisis." You can locate an event near you by visiting the 350 website.

Remember, the Barcelona Climate Change talks are the first week of November, and the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen is less than two months away. Now is the time to make sure your voice is heard on an issue that matters to us all.