Consolidated Communications Begins Phone Book Recycling Effort

Consolidated Communications has again partnered with four local schools to encourage area students to help reduce waste going to landfills by recycling old phone books.

Children who attend St. Anthony Grade School, Sacred Heart School, Effingham Junior High School and Sigel St. Michael School are being asked to bring in old phone books gathered from family members and friends. All four schools will earn cash prizes ranging from $250 to $1,000 for their efforts based on the number of books recycled in each location and the number of students enrolled in the school.

Directory Manager Jenny Walden said the goal of the program this year is to gather as many old directories during the month-long collection period as possible and reward the schools for their participation.

“We’re excited to offer this program again in the Effingham area. The response from students last year was overwhelming, and they gathered more than 28,000 old directories,” she said.

The program kicked off Monday and will continue through November 1. It comes on the heels of the recent distribution of the 2013-2014 Phone Book from Consolidated Communications for Effingham and the surrounding area.

Sanitation Service Inc., of Effingham, “The Rubbish Gobbler,” is supporting the effort by gathering and housing the recycled books.