Assignment: Returning Phone Books to Dex
posted by on September 1 at 10:27 AM
Today, Slog readers asked me to collect unwanted phone books and return them to Qwest Dex headquarters.
As Dan noted in his review of Dex for The Stranger’s Summer Reading Guide, phone books have become obsolete to the average computer-owning citizen and they are a huge waste of paper. Instead of recycling them individually, readers figured, it might make a bolder statement if they were delivered to Dex Headquarters, along with a “thanks, but no thanks” card.
I tried to think of a central location where we could gather all those books. I went to the Value Village store on Capitol Hill (1525 11th Ave) and asked manager Mark Adams if we could corner off an area of the store where people could drop off their unwanted phonebooks. He told me “no” but offered a place outside the store (where, I later learned, homeless people often sleep). Naive to the politics of homeless sleeping areas, I accepted Adams’ offer and he led me downstairs to Value Village’s receiving area and we snatched up an enormous cardboard box.
A nice man hoisted the box above his head and we walked up the alley to 11th together. As we walked, pedestrias had to duck so that the cardboard wouldn’t hit them in the face. After enduring numerous interruptions by homeless people (one of whom insisted on doing an impression of Bill Cosby with a box of Jello), I was finally able to set up the box.
The box is now waiting for your phonebooks. Drop them off and I will drive them to Qwest and drop them off on their doorstep.
Oh and stop by Value Village while you’re in the area…they’re having a huge labor day sale.
Steven Blum
Public Intern
Public intern, good job so far. If I were in Seattle I would drop off my phone books. But I thought the point was to actually give them back to the phone book folks, not just show them to them then recycle them. The message (which with a little press action might even reach their clients) would best be communicated by a big pile on the phonebook company's door step.
Maybe the Public Intern edited his post, but Jude you should reread it. After collecting them he's dropping them off at Qwest's doorstep.
Maybe it would be a good idea to add the address for ValueV! (not being snarky)
I agree with @1.
1525 11th Ave. I'm bringin mine... Great idea Public Intern!
How long is the box going to be there, Blum?
Yeah, Qwest sold the Yellow Pages for large amounts of cash. RH Donnelly, the country's largest commercial printer, owns it now.
@1 and @4 - read the post. He IS going to bring them to Qwest AFTER you bring your phone books to VV. He needs to get a big pile first.....sheesh.
@3 - maybe you could look it up on the internet? Or in a phone book if you don't have the internet.
Public Intern! Public Intern! Public Intern!
How we love you, Public Intern.
Public Intern: Never let anyone say anything bad about you, because you rock! AND you just get better and better every day!!! I would drive to Seattle to drop off my phone books, but eco-people might get mad at me for that. Maybe you could start gathering them in a bunch of cities and then dump like 5 truckloads on someone's desk! heh. Well, they might not appreciate that too much, but it would be funny. Watch out, your bin might overflow with books! I hope you can get a forklift to lift your box when it is full. Good luck and I cannot wait to hear the rest of this story!!! Awesome! I think you should definitely make some magnets or t-shirts or hats maybe even coffee cups with your face on them and the words PUBLIC INTERN: Seattle. Owned. (like, you know when people say someone has owned someone else...like as in pawning only owning...you get it right?) Then when you travel around the country you can get new cups that say: PUBLIC INTERN: San Francisco. Owned. etc. Okay, I know "owned" is so 2005...what am I thinking! Maybe instead you could have: PUBLIC INTERN: Working the City! You go girl! Too flamey??? Maybe just a mug with your face and PUBLIC INTERN and that is all! The money that people spend on your merchandise could help pay for some of your adventures. Let me know when you are ready to have your face plastered on some stuff, because I've got enough money for a cup!!!
Public Intern: my reputation on Slog is at stake here. Did you not edit the post? I could have sworn it said you would bring them by Qwest before taking them to the recycling. I am crazy???? THank you. And for the record, I support the public intern.
There are about 30-40 phone books stacked in the lobby of my apartment building. Sadly, I do not possess the superhuman strength required carry them all to Value Village. :( Anyone up for making phone book collection rounds around Capitol Hill?
Rose dear -
Carry them one or two at a time to the nearest recycle dumpster - problem solved.
This is all fun, but RECYCLING is more than just your yogurt cup. Trash paper is up for recycling always - just do it.
Greenie Jack - every shed of paper or cardboard I find.
Jude, I saw this when it just went up today, and I saw (and thought) the exact same thing. It was worded kind of messy, so perhaps it was in error?
Oh, and I, too, support the Public Intern.
The offices of Dex Yellow Pages/ RH Donnelly are located 50yds from the Eastgate Park & Ride, about a 15 min trip on the #522.
FIELD TRIP!
View Larger Map
Every monitor I have ever had sits on a phone book - sometimes two of them - just perfect.
But, I agree with the posters who say just make sure they all end up in the recycle dumpsters.
All the effort to grandstand will mean nothing at all ... folks who don't like them, recycle as in any other scrap paper. By the way, I have a plummer friend and ALL his calls come from yellow pages. Of course his little business which pays the bills does not matter to some at all. People go the the pages apparently when in a hurry and need immediate help.
They can be ass wipe as well - you do a little wadding/scrunching to make them softer - just fine.
Of course the hot house babies here at Slog have never lacked cash - and MUST have the softest for their butt holes. I understand.
Just sayin'
Nice job, public intern! I like your writing style. It makes me laugh.
I'd be willing to coordinate with Public Intern or others to participate in an apartment-building phone-book roundup. I could probably borrow my girlfriend's pickup truck. We'd have to have Slog readers let us into their buildings, I suppose.
Thoughts? Email me. . .tackam@u.washington.edu. :)
Don't piss off the hobos- I wouldn't be surprised if you found more than phone books in the box by weeks end...
I walked past this box last night... it only had two books in it. Get with it, Capitol Hillbillies!
@14 - thanks for your confirmation. No response from Public Intern, but I will assume no answer is an answer in itself. Jude Fawley has prevailed. My record is clear.
I still support the Public Intern - hell, with all his fans it would be stupid not to, I don't want to be lynched - but he should not edit posts and then not indicate that something has changed. I think this is standard blogging procedure.
The box is accumulating random posters people have torn down and other random trash. I assume there's a phonebook in there somewhere, but I don't see any for all of the garbage. I so expected more phonebooks.
Comments Closed
In order to combat spam, we are no longer accepting comments on this post (or any post more than 14 days old).