“When is that campaign to stop delivery of unwanted phone books going to make some progress?” asks local blog “We Built This City” under a photo of 8 unused Yellow Pages books. To the dismay of WBTC and others, not for a while — but in a marvelous demonstration of internet synergy, an Austrian website just might have a hint on what you can do with your books instead.
The proposed opt-in measure’s on hold for now, until San Francisco’s Office of Economic Analysis completes a review of possible negative economic impacts were it to be implemented. Even if the measure passes, the pilot opt-in program would not start until May 2012.
So WBTC and everyone else will have to wait at lease a while longer — we don’t have word yet on when that review will be completed. In the meantime, while it doesn’t help with the books currently littering your lobby/entryway/home, don’t forget you can opt out for the next round of phone tomes online. So that’s something.
As for the ones you do have? Austrian website KEMS* points us towardTokyo-based artist Koshi Kawachi‘s “Manga Farming” technique — which uses old Japanese comic books “as a growing medium for vegetables….by cultivating a crop of radish sprouts in an installation at the Matsuzakaya department store in Nagoya.”
Given the recent salmonella tainted sprout recall, this might be a great time to start growing your own, eh? If you scroll down the right on this page you can get a pretty good idea of how Kawachi did this (seems like you might need some sticks and rubber bands). Why not try it yourself?
*which I would not have seen had Brittney Gilbert not shared the article via Google Reader. Thanks, Brittney!
Photo of Koshi Kawachi’s Manga Farm: KEMS
Want more news, sent to your inbox every day? Then how about subscribing to our email newsletter? Here’s why we think you should. Come on, give it a try.
