WE MAY all have telephonic links
with each other but surrounding us will
be barren land devoid of trees. This
futuristic scenario may become a
reality as rapid advances in the telecommunication industiy will encourage
the publishing of more telephone directories and, consequently, the felling
more trees.
The introduction of cellular phones,
paging.@Ievices, cordless telephone and t
the plS@s to create 20 million neiO connections in India would all require new
telephone directbries. One set of directories means the loss of a whole tree.
Degradation of the green cover leads to
the accumulation of excess methane,
carbon dioxide and water vapour in the
atmosphere, adversely affecting the ozone layer.
To prevent the loss of forests,
several countries are now providing personal computers with a compact disc
full of information. Non-subscribers
can access the data, required from the
directory enquiry cell. This should go
a long way in reducing the demand
for paper.
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