The winds of change come even to the modest wooden telephone poles of Japanese 'sugi' that have been used since the inception of telephone service. Increasing demand for telephone service is requiring more trees to be cut every year. Already between 30~50% of all 'sugi' that are logged are being used for telephone poles, and it is feared that soon no more will be available. Concrete poles are more costly, heavy and more difficult to handle, but are also virtually permanent, consistent in shape and can be mass produced. The wooden telephone pole gradually begins to disappear from the scene.

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