Verizon Continues Program to End Automatic Delivery of Printed Residential White Pages Directories in California

(3BL Media) Newbury Park, CA - June 8, 2012 - Verizon is well on its way toward ending the automatic delivery of printed residential white pages directories in California.  Through the end of May, the company has ceased automatic delivery of 33 of the 44 residential editions in the discontinuation program. 

Despite the discontinuation, customers will be able to order free residential print and CD-ROM versions of white pages directories by calling 1-800-888-8448 when delivery begins for each local yellow pages directory.  In addition, all white pages listings are accessible at www.verizon.com/whitepages.

When completed in October, the discontinuation program is expected to keep out of the California waste stream approximately 1,900 tons of paper per year – the equivalent of the maximum takeoff weight of more than four Boeing 747-400 airliners.

Yellow pages directories – containing business and government white pages, customer information pages and yellow pages ads – will continue to be delivered, and information about how to continue to receive residential white pages listings and access them online will be displayed on the covers and table of contents of those directories. 

To improve efficiency and reduce the environmental impacts associated with printed directories, Verizon in October 2010 asked the California Public Utilities Commission to waive the existing requirement to deliver residential white pages.  The company noted that significant resources are expended annually to print and automatically distribute directories to customers who may not want or use them.  The PUC granted Verizon’s request in June 2011.

Residential white pages usage has decreased considerably due to the Internet and mobile search.  Gallup estimates the usage for residential white page directories had dropped to about 11 percent in 2008. 

Reducing the use of paper is a significant part of Verizon’s comprehensive sustainability efforts.  More than 3 million Verizon customers across the country signed up for paperless billing, which saves more than 120 metric tons of CO2e annually, saving more than 1,100 trees.  Customers interested in signing up for paper free billing can visit www.myverizon.com.

The dual initiatives of paperless billing and ending automatic delivery of residential White Pages listings is expected to save the equivalent of a forest of 436,000 trees annually.  Verizon’s commitment also involves a strong waste-management program, resulting in the recycling of 71.2 million pounds of paper and cardboard in 2011.

For the past three years, Verizon has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index, which lists North America's leading companies as measured by governance, social and environmental performance. 

SuperMedia LLC is the publisher of the Verizon directories.  SuperMedia uses biodegradable inks and dyes, as well as paper that is made primarily from lumber-industry waste such as wood pulp and fiber and includes up to 40 percent post-consumer recycled content.  In addition, SuperMedia purchases directory paper from producers recognized for their sustainability practices ranging from water recycling at mills to careful reclamation of forest lands.  For more information, visit www.supermedia.com/social-responsibility/environmental-sustainability.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, with 93 million retail customers nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the Fortune 500.  A Dow 30 company with $111 billion in 2011 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of nearly 192,000.  For more information, visit http://www.verizon.com/.

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Automatic delivery of residential White Pages listings has ceased for the following directories:

Automatic delivery of residential White Pages listings will cease for the following directories over the next several months: