Monday, July 30, 2007 SM's GreenBag gets environmental groups' support
THE GreenBag, a pioneering joint project of SM Supermarket and Unilever Philippines, recently got the green thumbs up of some of the most active environmental groups and agencies in the country for involving shoppers in the advocacy of caring for the environment.
As the project centerpiece of SM Cares or Concerned and Responsible Eco-Shoppers, the GreenBag is the first of its kind as a reusable shopping bag made from durable non-woven fabric that can last for approximately two years of weekly trips to the grocery.
This is in response to the country's solid waste issue, which the joint project hopes to address positively to change the Filipino's consumption practices.
This involves starting a new shopping habit by using and reusing the GreenBag instead of the usual plastic bags when shopping at SM Supermarket, thereby reducing pollution and minimizing landfill use.
The National Solid Waste Commission, the government agency spearheading the implementation of Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, led by its Deputy Executive Director Emy Aguinaldo, commended the two companies for initiating the project and for being "true and committed supporters of the Department of Environment and Natural Resource's (DENR) environmental programs on clean water, clean air, and solid waste management."
Former DENR secretary Elisea Gozun also encouraged more people to support the program. "How can we reduce the garbage we generate? The GreenBag is already one concrete step. This is really taking the initiative one giant step forward," Gozun said.
Estimates show that the country yields nearly 20,000 tons of waste everyday, and only 40 percent or less are recycled or reused. This figure is projected to increase to 30,000 tons per day by 2010.
Through RA 9003, business establishments in the country are being tasked to spearhead and invest in comprehensive solid waste management programs.
Through the GreenBag project, SM Supermarket stores expect a 15-percent decrease in plastic bag usage during its first year and a 50-percent decrease after three years.
SM shoppers can get their GreenBag for free with every P500 purchase of SM Supermarket's Yellow Tag items, inclusive of one Unilever product. To encourage reuse, SM Advantage Cardholders will get extra reward points every time they use the GreenBag for their groceries. A maximum of three GreenBags can be used per visit.
These are available at SM Supermarket and SM Hypermarket branches.
