Earth Day and Every Day: Five Years of Progress with Reusable Bags
Mona Golub
VP of Communications and Public Affairs
As Earth Day approaches, we’re reminded that sustainability isn’t something we celebrate once a year—it’s something we carry with us, literally, on every grocery trip. This spring marks five years since New York State’s Bag Waste Reduction Act went into effect, phasing out single-use plastic bags and encouraging shoppers to shift toward more sustainable alternatives—especially heavy-duty reusable bags.
It was a big change, especially for Market 32 and Price Chopper and our customers. Like any shift in routine, it’s been a journey.
Many customers embraced reusable bags with enthusiasm, turning a simple gesture into something that’s made a major impact. Before the ban, New Yorkers used more than 23 billion plastic bags each year. Thanks to the millions of shoppers who’ve made reusables part of regular shopping trips, an immense volume of plastic has been kept out of landfills, waterways, and neighborhoods across the communities we serve, and the world at-large.
It’s a powerful reminder that progress comes from small decisions that make a big impact over time. Now, five years after the ban on plastic bags took effect, some still find themselves relying on paper bags when reusables get left behind or forgotten.
While paper may feel like a safe and convenient alternative, it still comes with real costs, both financially and, more importantly, to the environment. Paper bags require a substantial amount of energy and water to produce, and because they’re bulkier and heavier than plastic, require more trucks and fuel to transport them, which leads to more emissions. While they’re recyclable and biodegradable, most paper bags are only used once before being tossed in the garbage.
Last year alone, our stores provided 25 million paper bags. Even with a nominal fee at checkout, the cost of sourcing and stocking those bags continues to rise. Meanwhile, the savings potential for our customers is significant. If a shopper uses five paper bags per week, that adds up to about $13 a year. By contrast, a set of five reusable bags—available at our stores for just $0.69 to $0.99 each—totals less than $5 and can last for years.
We understand that paper bags remain an important option for some shoppers, and we’ll continue making them available at checkout. Providing a convenient, friendly experience is always our priority, especially when it comes to making sure customers can securely bring their groceries home. However, we also recognize that they are not a long-term solution and that reusable bags are currently the best option to support the long-term health of our communities and the environment.
That’s why all 129 of our Market 32 and Price Chopper locations are fully stocked with durable, affordable reusable bags, conveniently located at store entrances and checkout counters. These bags are designed to go the distance—sturdy enough to handle your haul, compact enough to keep close at hand.
At the five-year mark, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect—not just on how far we’ve come, but what’s still ahead. Reusable bags may seem like a small thing, but they can make a big impact.
To everyone who’s already made this part of their routine—we thank you. And to those looking to support the effort again, or for the first time, now’s the perfect time to (re)join us on this journey. Just look for the reusable bags at the front of your store or checkout to get started!
Written by our friends at Green Mountain Energy
Say it with us: Earth is awesome! And it also happens to be the only one we have. Every day, we celebrate this beautiful planet we call home, but each April 22, we like to give it a little bit more love.
Earth Day is here again, the perfect opportunity to think about how even the smallest choices can make a lasting difference. The perfect example?
Choosing to power your home with renewable energy!
Did you know that electricity generated from fossil fuels accounts for 25% of man-made greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.? That means that, by choosing clean energy to power your home, you’re opting out of a full quarter of the national carbon footprint and significantly lowering your own footprint at the same time. Pretty great, if you ask us.
But what if you aren’t using clean energy and you want to start? The answer is simple. All you have to do to choose clean energy is to switch your electricity plan. And when you make that decision today, you can make that impact every day for as long as you stay on your renewable energy plan. It’s really that easy to take a full quarter off your annual footprint.
Make the switch in a snap with a 100% clean energy plan from our friends at Green Mountain Energy. You’ll also earn 10,000 AdvantEdge Rewards points ($100 value) after 2 months of service and 1,000 points ($10 value) every 6 months for as long as you keep your plan.
So, whether you’re new to renewable energy or you’re an old pro, you can celebrate Earth Day at your house all year long with an electricity plan that doesn’t hurt the planet and rewards you!
Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
With Earth Day being celebrated tomorrow, we have a heartwarming story that corresponds with our commitment to help keep our Earth, and fisheries, sustainable! A special thank you to Johnstown, store #012 for making this story possible.
On March 27, 2023, the Johnstown seafood department noticed they had received a pregnant lobster. The store immediately took action. They isolated the lobster in the cooler, started making calls and writing emails to bring this lobster back to sea. After proper instruction, the store took the utmost, gentle care with this lobster and made sure she was safely and comfortably packed so she could be shipped back to Maine.
Once this lady was received, marine biologist Curt Brown cut a notch into one of her tail flippers, which signifies that she is a proven breeder. From here on out, she will be illegal to keep again, even after she releases her eggs. The lobster has been returned back to her home at sea.
Brown noted that the efforts made at Johnstown Price Chopper will result in 10,000 lobster eggs being released this spring! We are incredibly proud of our teammates for saving her life, and allowing thousands of baby lobsters to be born.
Thank you, Johnstown!
For 83 years, Price Chopper has been an integral part of the communities in which we do business. At the core of our values is a deep and long-held belief that what is good for the community is good for the company. We sponsor little league teams, concerts and fireworks displays, hold parades and donate food and time. We work directly to improve schools, revitalize neighborhoods, build green buildings, adopt emerging technologies and share knowledge, expertise and best practices. Through hard work and dedication we have become a trusted partner in the day-to-day lives of our customers and in so much of what goes on in the communities that we serve. However, we have never really told the full story of what we do, why we do it and who our efforts most directly benefit.
As spring is a time for inspired and fresh beginnings, this Earth Day, Price Chopper would like to break the ice and start a new conversation. We would like to share this part of our story in the hopes that it informs, educates, inspires and fosters a real and important dialogue with our customers and the communities that we serve! This site has been developed to provide information on who we are, as an Environmentally Sustainable and Socially Responsible Company. With that I would like to welcome you all to the brand new Price Chopper Corporate Social Responsibility website! Please feel free to share your ideas, insights and feedback. We would love to hear from you!!
Best, Be Well and Be Green,
Joe Berman
Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility, LEED AP BD&C Want To Try a Really Great Tomato?
If you haven’t tried Santa Sweets® Authentic Grape Tomatoes, or UglyRipe® Tomatoes, you’re in for a real surprise. Santa Sweets Grape Tomatoes are so tasty, kids eat them by the handful right out of the package. Santa Sweets UglyRipe® Heirloom Tomatoes offer that familiar old-fashioned, hearty tomato taste and meaty, beefsteak flesh like home-grown tomatoes.
These tomato varieties can help punch your favorite recipes up, too. UglyRipes are so succulent, a routine BLT becomes a special event! UglyRipes raise the standard Caprese salad to a new level. Try quickly grilling an UglyRipe before slicing to serve on your grilled burgers. Or serve them all by themselves in wedges with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.
The Authentic Grape Tomatoes are the perfect base for a simple but yummy sauce. Slice a couple of handfuls in half lengthwise, sauté them in olive oil with a dash of salt, pepper, and dried Italian herbs, and then pour the contents of the pan — including the juices — over roasted or grilled skinless chicken or turkey breast.
Try roasting them whole in a hot (400°F) oven with a little minced garlic, olive oil, a pinch of dried Italian herbs, and a dash of salt and pepper for a few minutes until they soften and the skins pop. Then pour the entire dish over slices of a grilled beef or salmon steak.
For a delectable twist on Caprese salad, try Caprese kabobs: Thread a tomato, a fresh mozzarella cheese ball about the same size as the tomato, and a basil leaf on a skewer. Continue until the skewer is full. In a small bowl, whisk together a little olive oil and balsamic or red wine vinegar. Drizzle this mixture over the kabobs just before serving. Looking for even more recipe ideas? Visit www.santasweets.com.
Why Are Santa Sweets Tomatoes So Good?
Santa Sweets was the first company to market grape tomatoes in the United States, so they know a thing or two about their tomatoes. First, Santa Sweets only selects the most flavorful tomato seed varieties to grow. Santa Sweets Tomatoes are naturally non-GMO, grown directly in the soil and sunshine of open fields and left on the vine to ripen. Once ripe, Santa Sweets Tomatoes are hand-picked and hand-packed for immediate shipping. What’s more, Santa Sweets farms are strategically located throughout North America so there’s always a growing season year-round — and they are packed to order and shipped fresh every day.Grow Santa Sweets Famous Varieties in Your Garden This Season
Now you can grow your own Santa Sweets Tomatoes right in your own backyard! Look for the rack of UglyRipe and Authentic Grape Tomato Plants in the floral section and in a few weeks, you can walk out your back door to hand-pick your own yummy Santa Sweets tomatoes for the freshest possible dishes.