Yellow Page Mountain

On October 22, 2010, Kyle MacDonald and Aimee Davison built a mountain out of unwanted Yellow Page phone book directories in front of the Yellow Page Group's head office in Montreal, Quebec. If you want to stop the printing of phone books, opt-out or stop paying to list and advertise in them, if you own a business! Go green: go Google!

http://yellowpagemountain.com
http://onehundredjobs.ca
http://oneredpaperclip.com

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• prank
• stunt
• hegemony
• phone book
• phone
• yellow media
• media
• environment
• protests
• politics
• yellow pages
• yellow page mountain
• aimee davison
• Kyle MacDonald
• canpages
• pages jaunes
• canada411
• business lisitngs
• cost
• super pages
• att
• recycling
• retiring
• phonebook
• telecommunications
• printing
• mass printing
• google
• verizon
• yellow pages association
• ypg
• yellow page group
• hiring
• telephone
• at&t
• fiona story
• seattle
• ban
• lawsuit
• states
• retired
• yellow page
• advertisement

[DrMarson]

What if the power goes out? What if your computer breaks?

Advertisers pay a lot of money to be in the yellowpages, because people use them. When few enough people use the yellowpages, it will no longer be cost-effective to advertise there, and the problem will take care of itself.

[YellowPageMountain]

@DrMarson If the power goes out, cell phones will still work. There is still the option of dialling 411 on pay phones for free, as well. Advertisers pay a lot to list in the Yellow Pages because the distribution rate (rate of delivery) is so high, regardless of whether or not people still use them. The YP Group also has an aggressive team of sales persons who cite conveniently crafted statistics that over represent actual usage. Via the article published in the Globe and Mail: 45% never use.

[tomwadsworth]

@YellowPageMountain "Advertisers pay a lot of money to be in the yellowpages," not "because people use them," but because your Yellow Pages rep TELLS you that people use them. Advertisers, especially those who are not Web savvy, are a part of the problem.

[YellowPageMountain]

@tomwadsworth Exactly.

[saisumimen]

I think part of the solution is letting people know to OPT OUT and to do it immediately. Part of the reason there is a "1%" opt out rate is probably because people don't know they can do it. I certainly didn't know.

To all the people on facebook, give them the link or phone number so they can opt out of it, and let's see if we can spread the message that this is not only possible, but a good thing to do for the environment.

[YellowPageMountain]

@saisumimen It's listed in the video and now on YellowPageMountain . com: opt-out in Canada by going to delivery.ypg.com

[musicDCW]

ugh.. I've lived in Montreal all my life, and I'm ashamed of you..

Sure i'm in my twenties.. and use the internet as my new "yellowpages"..

My first thought was of my grandparents.. who throughout their entire lives have never owned a computer.. Deny them the Yellowpages? Don't be so self-centered.

[batsondceiling]

@musicDCW You are absolutely right, I have spent hours trying to teach my 80 year old mother to use a computer, she just doesn't catch on. It is unfortunate that there are some people who feel that "they" have the divine right to make decisions for others. However, I have difficulty believing that someone's life would be so meaningless as to make YP directories their Holy Grail. These people "may" actually be paid by someone who wants to drive the price of YLO down for a private take-over.

[danielbritos]

@meeressen Actually now a days you dont need to be an internet junkie to know how to search for businesses online, also i would argue google is better at promoting small businesses than anything else. You search your area and anything you need and you will be able to see the small B that was just opened and registered a week ago.

[mubd1234]

I need a few hundred thousand to prop up my giant chair.

[MultiKgiles]

meeressen I agree with you.

[meeressen]

I see the point...but the Yellow Pages has been and still is a great tool for small businesses who employ people and you have to realize not everyone is an Internet junkie. Can Pages and the others are copy cats.

If you want to pick a villian you should consider newspapers who print tonnes and tonnes of paper everyday that spreads the message of doom and gloom.

But regardless of all that you make a good point about the unnecessary waste.

[drgnballz]

That's retarded, junk mail has adverts as well. And No, we really don't use the yellow pages.

[MrVaughnG]

how come they are taking peoples phone books. they are taking from apartment buildings where they are dropped off for them. thats like stealing

[sophiestills]

Just checked some phone books routes for an unnamed smaller town in Ontario ( 17500 books over 18 routes-rural and urban) Not one single "Do not deliver ".... In Toronto only Yuppies reject them as they trot back to their homes to find the book on their porch with their 5th Starbuck of the day (in a take out cup) with a copy of Now and Eye in hand ... Why don't you petition for peopl to read all of their books on their brand new i pads..