by Ken Quintanilla
Guam - Almost fourteen months ago, Pay-Less Supermarkets launched it "Go Green" campaign by introducing $0.05 rebates for reusable bags that were used instead of plastic bags. And starting January 25, it will do its part to help mitigate the proliferation of plastic bags throughout Guam by launching its "Mission: Zero Bags" campaign.
Pay-Less' Kathy Sgro told KUAM News, "In each of our stores, we will have a ticker tape and it will show this number will go down and our goal is to have zero bags in our stores." Although this will take some time to get used to, she hopes adding a few incentives to the initiative will encourage others to think green. On its launch day, Pay-Less will sale its reusable bags for $0.75 as opposed to the $0.99 price and will have the University of Guam Green Army on hand to educate the community on the campaign.
And with every purchase of $20 that day, a free usable bag will be issued. Although plastic bags won't be available on green days, Pay-Less will have brown paper bags for use, but in order to promote its campaign, a $0.05 donation will be implemented. Sgro says it ultimately goes back to the community for the betterment of sustainability and green efforts, noting, "I'm calling it a donation, because 100% of the proceeds of the money collected will go toward non-profit green organizations such as high schools. There's various high schools that have green clubs; every penny of that will be donated and we're setting up a grant fund that will be sent out to the schools."
The plastic bags that Pay-Less does use are biodegradable, which is a better alternative but they still can be harmful to the environment from clogging drains to getting into the ocean. She adds issuing the five cent rebate for the nearly 275,000 customers who on average bring in their reusable bags is an investment Pay-Less is more than happy to make. She said, "This is nothing new throughout the world, there are many areas where the law mandates there are no plastic bags, so we're taking the initiative as a private company rather than waiting on any mandate and we're really hoping other retailers and I've spoken with other companies and they have shared with me that they will follow in suit."
So what's next? Pay-Less will hold its green days from February to June on the last two Wednesday of the month, where it will then progress to every Wednesday thereafter. Not only will Pay-Less launch its "Mission: Zero Bags" campaign on January 25, but it will also feature recyclable bins and various in-store special and promotions.
