Ten or fifteen years ago when a person wanted the details of a business they would reach for the Yellow Pages.  Thanks to the internet this is no longer the case.  There is simply no need to flick through a ridiculously thick book for information when one can get it with the click of a mouse.  Unfortunately many businesses have failed to see that print is a dying medium.

Surprisingly, the Yellow Pages directories are still being used.  It has been estimated that over 3 million small businesses in the United States advertise with them.  This has led to a large amount of paper being wasted at the Yellow Pages plant.  The business plans on cutting down its paper usage by 50% in the coming years.  They hope to do this by improving their manufacturing methods and by using leftover sawdust and lumber whenever possible.  The company is also planning to use soy-based, non-toxic inks, dyes and glues when printing the books.



The Yellow Pages brand has accepted that many consumers prefer to use digital services over a book.  Due to this they have created an online service which allows consumers to opt out of receiving the books in the future.  This of course will will further reduce the levels of paper the company is using.



While the attention their company is giving to their carbon footprint is commendable, they may be better off focusing on their online product.  Yellow Pages does have a website however it is not as popular as it could be.  With proper advertising and SEO techniques Yellow Pages has the potential to be even more successful.