H-E-B Celebrates Earth Day By Giving Away 300,000 Reusable Shopping Bags, Four Hours Only
3 P.M. – 7 P.M. ONLY ON EARTH DAY, APRIL 22

Event Will Get 1.5 Million Plastic Bags Out of Circulation and Into Recycling

Houston, TX – Apr. 17, 2009 –H-E-B plans to celebrate Earth Day statewide in a big way by encouraging its customers to keep going green. On Wednesday, April 22, the retailer will give away 300,000 reusable shopping bags with plans to eliminate 1.5 million plastic bags from circulation. The program is taking place simultaneously at all H-E-B stores across Texas where the company will give away 300,000 reusable shopping bags statewide in a four-hour period.

Celebrate Earth Day. Celebrate You.

Give yourself the gift of green from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. only on Earth Day, April 22. Anyone that brings five plastic shopping bags or more to any H-E-B store for recycling will receive a coupon for one free reusable green shopping bag. Last year, H-E-B gave away 150,000 reusable bags. This year, H-E-B is doubling its efforts. Each high quality reusable shopping bag has the potential to eliminate hundreds, if not thousands, of plastic bags over its lifetime.

The shopping bags brought in for recycling can be from any retailer and do not need to be H-E-B bags. No purchase is necessary, but there is a limit of one free reusable bag per customer, and the free bags will only be available between 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. while supplies last.

“We want to reinforce our enthusiasm for going green and encourage our shoppers to do the same,” said Susan Ghertner, Environmental Affairs Manager. “By doubling this year’s Earth Day giveaway to 300,000 reusable bags, we are making it possible for even more people to make a positive difference when it comes to the environment.”

H-E-B’s reusable bags are made of non-woven polypropylene, which is tough, strong, water resistant and recyclable. The bags, which typically can last for two years of weekly use, are made of the same type of plastic used in yogurt containers, syrup bottles, straws and medicine bottles. The average family of four is likely to use eight to ten of these bags for a weekly grocery trip.

Green Bag Sales Contribute to Keep Texas Beautiful Grants

Shoppers can purchase and select from several designs of reusable bags, including a limited edition Eva Longoria Parker Earth Day bag at any H-E-B store for $0.99 to $1.49 each plus tax (Eva Longoria Parker Earth Day bags are not part of the giveaway). Five cents from each green bag sale will be contributed to a grant program H-E-B has established through Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB). H-E-B’s Green Bag Grants are open to eligible KTB affiliates looking to fund local recycling programs across Texas.

“The first year of H-E-B’s Green Bag Grants was a huge success and we hope the program and our partnership continues to grow,” said Cathie Gail, Keep Texas Beautiful Executive Director. “Earth Day is the perfect occasion to take part in H-E-B’s efforts to promote a cleaner community and to educate people about how they can change their day-to-day habits when it comes to shopping bag reuse and recycling.”

H-E-B Offers Options for Recycling Plastic

An important part of H-E-B’s Earth Day effort is to make it easy for customers to recycle plastic bags and other thin plastics, such as newspaper delivery sleeves, dry-cleaning bags, and more.

The bins are easily identifiable in front of the stores and can accept most #2 (high-density polyethylene) and #4 (low-density polyethylene) plastic products. The bins have clear signage that describes exactly what plastics they can process, including:

• Newspaper delivery sleeves
• Dry-cleaning bags
• Plastic shopping bags
• Six-pack soda-can rings
• Outer wrap from products such as paper towels and bathroom tissue

Plastics dropped into the bins are recycled into plastic lumber, which has a range of uses including playground equipment, decks and fencing. In fact, the recycling bins themselves are made, in large part, from recycled plastic bags previously collected at H-E-B stores.

“We believe that doing our part to care for the environment helps us serve our customers better,” said Cyndy Garza-Roberts, H-E-B public affairs director for Houston. “It is part of how we do business every day and we’ll keep taking every opportunity to make it a little easier for our customers to join in the effort.”

Contacts
H-E-B Public Affairs
Cyndy Garza-Roberts, 713/329-3926

Dancie Perugini Ware PR          
Angie Knust, angie@dpwpr.com
Lauren Swanson, lauren@dpwpr.com                                                                   
713/224-9115

H-E-B and the Environment

H-E-B is committed to business strategies and sustainable practices that continually improve the company’s use of natural resources, minimize waste, conserve energy and water, and protect air quality. By simply recycling materials including aluminum, steel, plastic, oil, cardboard and computers, H-E-B reduces more than six million pounds of harmful air pollutants and diverts more than 200,000 tons of waste from landfills – more than the annual waste produced by 100,000 households.  By increasing the amount of groceries that goes into each bag at checkout, the company has reduced the number of plastic bags used, which conserves 2,500 cubic yards of landfill space. And, H-E-B saves 6.2 million gallons of water each year by reusing condensation from manufacturing steam equipment. 

When it comes to transportation, H-E-B has reduced its use of diesel fuel by over 4.7 million gallons each year and carbon dioxide emissions by more than 30 percent annually.  Each year, approximately 8,200 H-E-B truck tires are recycled to reduce landfill tonnage by 820 tons a year. In fact, at H-E-B in Kyle, Victoria and San Antonio at 281 and Evans Road, H-E-B will soon sell mulch made from recycled tires.

The company also supports green building practices by utilizing energy conservation equipment for in-store coolers, freezers and windows, energy-efficient fluorescent high-bay light fixtures, time clocks that automatically turn off lights in the freezers and display cases, landscaping designed to conserve water and 65 percent-recycled building equipment and materials.  Statewide, 137 H-E-B stores have received the ENERGY STAR label for demonstrating excellent energy management performances and generally using 35 percent less energy than other facilities in the same category.

About H-E-B 

H-E-B was founded in Kerrville, Texas in 1905 with a single grocery store. For more than 100 years, H-E-B has been an innovative retailer known for low prices, fresh food, quality products and convenient services. The company has grown to more than 300 stores in Texas and Northern Mexico with more than 70,000 employees. It conducts a wide range of efforts geared toward helping the community and the environment. H-E-B is one of the largest food chains in the United States, with annual sales more than $15 billion, and is the largest privately held company in Texas. For more information, please visit www.heb.com