New council weighs old technology

A few years ago, during a screening of the film for Concordia journalism students, a wave of laughter swept through the classroom during that scene. “Duh! Just look it up on the Internet!” the class’s token wiseass called out. “Google the guy!”

It was funny, but of course to him and his classmates the very idea of a phonebook is so outdated that its very existence is almost absurd. They know there was a time, not too long ago, when if you needed to find an acquaintance’s phone number, a store or a local service, you automatically went for the phonebook, usually kept within easy reach from the phone. Now many people simply go to their computer, or even their cell phone, to find in a few seconds what it used to take a few minutes to look up in the big, cumbersome phonebook.

But despite the recent leaps and bounds in technology, the Yellow Pages and other publications have kept appearing on our doorsteps as usual. Of course these are fine, reputable businesses that have every right to continue doing what they do, but with fewer people needing them, many phonebooks get tossed into the recycling bin immediately upon delivery — a blatant waste of material and labour.

Earlier this week, city councillor Cynthia Lulham pointed out that unsolicited delivery of so many phonebooks has become a problem — certainly in Westmount, but no doubt everywhere else. She is absolutely right, and her call for some regulation in the matter is both timely and wise.

If this issue is followed up, we may soon have legislation allowing people the choice of how to “let their fingers do the walking,” and help the environment at the same time.