Sensis has just announced that Australia’s White and Yellow Pages directories have been certified carbon neutral, a world first for phone directory publications.
The carbon neutral certification has been secured through the Australian Government’s Department of Climate Change Greenhouse Friendly program, which certifies a number of carbon abatement providers who adhere to the National Carbon Offset Standard.
Public opinion on the publication of the Yellow Pages printed directory has been slowly eroding as people move to the Yellow Pages website or the Yellow Pages iPhone Application with critics of the printed directory often citing the environmental impact of the printed directory as why they have moved to the online version. In response Sensis has already increased the recycling of their directories from 4 percent in 1999 to 96 percent currently.
With both the White and Yellow pages going carbon neutral, it equates to the removal of nearly 40,000 cars off Australian roads each year.
With the printed White and Yellow Pages being used up to 60 Million times each week in Australia, it is unlikely they will move to an online only model anytime soon. It is however still possible to opt out of receiving the White and Yellow Pages directories entirely, with the Sensis site listing 1800 008 292 as the number to call.
