For ten years, I have received new copies of the white and yellow pages phone books and, without removing the shrink-wrap cover, turfed them into the recycling bin.

ABC News tells me that, were I to open a phone book, I might read that I can opt out of receiving phone books.

“Excellent!”, I think. Earn my green credentials for the day. But ABC News’s story merely quotes the CEO of Sensis, Bruce Akhurst, as saying that:

there’s a 1-800 number inside the front cover of directories that people can ring

Without a phone book, how do I find the mystery 1-800 number? Let me leave out a ghastly story of searching, IVR, pap music, redirections and so on.

To opt out of receiving phone books, call 1800 008 292. Give your phone number, name and address, and–if Sensis is true to its word–you’ll never trip over another phone book on the doorstep again.