Poor plastic bags. Whole Foods Market - uber grocer of natural and organic foods - will stop handing out disposable plastic grocery bags in all of its 270 stores by this coming Earth Day (April 22). Whole Foods has six stores across Canada.
Over the next three months, stores will reduce plastic bag inventories and increase the selection of reusable bags for purchase.
"More and more cities and countries are beginning to place serious restrictions on single-use plastic shopping bags since they don't break down in our landfills, can harm nature by clogging waterways and endangering wildlife, and litter our roadsides,” said A.C. Gallo, co-president and chief operating officer.
Before Whole Foods decided to do away with the bags, they ran tests at several stores, including Toronto. The response was overwhelmingly positive. They estimate they will keep 100 million new plastic grocery bags out of our environment between Earth Day and the end of this year alone.
If you forget to bring your bag, Whole Foods will still offer a way to leave with your pesticide-free soybeans: 100 percent recycled paper grocery bags, which also are completely recyclable.
Kudos. Read more at
wholefoodsmarket.com. (And instead of starting the whole “paper vs. plastic” debate, why not just reuse?)
On November 14, 15 and 16, Whole Life Expo is back at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, with 200 exhibitors and 60 speakers showcasing the best of natural health and green living.