Supervalu-owned Albertsons has joined several California nonprofit, government and business groups that have teamed up to launch the “Got Your Bags?” campaign, a public education and outreach effort aimed at encouraging Californians to use reusable bags for shopping and bring plastic bags back to the store for recycling.

“Our goal with this campaign is to give consumers that extra reminder so they translate good intentions into action,” said Christine Flowers-Ewing, executive director of Keep California Beautiful. “We all play an important role as individuals by using reusable bags and increasing the recycling of plastic bags and wraps. California’s residents need to get the message that they can recycle all types of clean plastic film, such as dry-cleaning bags, newspaper bags, and wraps covering paper towels, drinks or other retail items.”

In San Diego, the campaign is working to bring together a coalition of partners that will help spread the environmental messages in a number of creative ways. Fifty-eight Albertsons stores in the San Diego area are featuring Got Your Bags? reminders in the form of decals on their front doors and buttons for employees. Additionally, select stores are placing stencils at store entrances.

“We encourage our customers to recycle their plastic bags in our stores,” said Rick Crandall, Albertsons director of environmental stewardship. “Our plastic-recycling bins provide a convenient place to drop off and recycle plastic bags when you shop at Albertsons stores. The Got Your Bags? campaign is a great extra push to reinforce and remind us all that reducing, reusing and recycling is very important.”

The campaign also includes city- and state-level agencies working together. “As a longstanding member of the Keep California Beautiful board of directors, the City of San Diego has been part of the team bringing diverse partners together to maximize resources and the effectiveness of the campaign,” said Chris Gonaver, director of environmental services for the City of San Diego.

More information about the campaign is available at www.keepcaliforniabeautiful.org.