Bag bonanza

Save Mart Supermarkets honored Earth Day by giving customers fee reusable shopping bags.

The giveaway took place on Saturday (April 25) at the Chico and Paradise stores, and at nine locations in Monterey County. All told, the supermarket chain had more than 16,000 bags to dispense.

Manufactured in Oroville by Roplast Industries, the free sturdy bags are constructed using recycled materials. Additionally, the bags can be recycled like any single-use plastic bag.

If customers reuse just half of the bags handed out during the giveaway, Save Mart estimates the effort will prevent up to 1.65 million single-use bags ending up in landfills. Plus, Save Mart customers get the added benefit of getting a 5-cent discount for each reusable bag they use while shopping.