Help Yourself Adopts “Got Your Bags? Florida Keys” Program
Help Yourself, the natural and organic market and restaurant became the first Key West retailer to “Take The Pledge” and promote the use of reusable shopping bags as part of nonprofit Green Living and Energy Education’s “Got Your Bags? Florida Keys” program (GYB). That pledge takes a big step toward reducing single use plastic bag litter on streets and highways, along with the harm that plastic bags produce for the wild birds and marine animals in our precious Keys waters.
Help Yourself owner, Charlie Wilson puts it this way: “We believe our lifestyle choices are as important as our food choices, and that if we each, as individuals or businesses, take responsibility for being environmentally aware in our own lives and communities, collectively we can make a difference on a much larger scale.” The store’s Assistant Manager and Green Initiative Coordinator, Allise Blackman adds: “We’re so excited to be the first retail business to promote the “Got Your Bags” cause as an example for other businesses to incorporate sustainable alternatives, and fulfill our overall goal of educating the public about healthy body, mind, AND healthy planet.”
Currently, all of the cups, clear containers, straws, knives, forks, spoons and carry out containers used at Help Yourself are made out of corn not plastic, or materials that can be composted or recycled. There’s a recycling station outside to encourage customers. The GYB program fits right in with these environmentally-friendly initiatives. It was started in 2012 in Big Pine Key by a coalition of Lower Keys residents to encourage retailers, residents and visitors to consciously reduce the use of plastic and paper, and utilize reusable bags instead.
Help Yourself does not provide plastic shopping bags. For their part, the retailer will begin by phasing out the paper bags they currently use, which also have a heavy carbon footprint to produce. First they will charge for paper bags, and then eliminate them entirely. With the GYB logo posted at the entrance as a reminder to customers, cashiers will also ask if they’ve brought their own bags. The staff will also educate their customers on the move to charging for bags and then providing only reusable bags for sale when their current stock of paper ones runs out. Help Yourself sustainably designed reusable bags, co-branded with the GYB logo, are currently in production.
The GYB program, now operated as part of GLEE’s nonprofit pro-environmental mission, is growing. It has also been adopted in Islamorada with the assistance of Monroe County Extension Service director, Alicia Betancourt. Last year’s Key West Film Festival was the first Keys major event to become a GYB sponsor, providing reusable bags for festival participants and incorporating numerous other green initiatives.
Follow the “Got Your Bags? Florida Keys” campaign online at https://www.facebook.com/GotYourBagsFloridaKeys .