A display of energy efficient light bulbs, chocolate produced by wind power, and reusable shopping bags made from 80% post consumer waste.

Whole Foods Market announced that it will end the use of disposable plastic grocery bags at the checkouts in all of its 270 stores in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. with the goal to be plastic bag-free by Earth Day, April 22, 2008.

“Central to Whole Foods Market’s core values is caring for our communities and the environment, and this includes adopting wise environmental practices,” said A.C. Gallo, co-president and chief operating officer for Whole Foods Market. “More and more cities and countries are beginning to place serious restrictions on single-use plastic shopping bags since they don’t break down in our landfills, can harm nature by clogging waterways and endangering wildlife, and litter our roadsides. Together with our shoppers, our gift to the planet this Earth Day will be reducing our environmental impact as we estimate we will keep 100 million new plastic grocery bags out of our environment between Earth Day and the end of this year alone.”

Over the next few months, employees at the market will be encouraging customers to adopt reusable bags. Near the checkout, several different types of reusable bags are available for purchase, and some of them are super cute! They developed “A Better Bag” — a sound environmental choice since 80 percent of its content comes from recycled plastic bottles, and the cost is super low, only 99 cents.

Whole Foods Market has encouraged shoppers to bring their own bags for years by offering a refund of either five or ten cents at the checkouts, depending on the store. The push to use reusable bags has left many wondering what their options are if they forget their bags, a too common affliction. The company will continue to offer an environmentally sensitive option when needed – 100 percent recycled paper grocery bags, according to a company spokesperson.

This is just one of many steps the store has taken to improve green awareness. The containers found in their deli sections are made of natural fibers and they are consistently introducing green products to the store. As more suppliers create products that cut down on waste, or use efficient energy in production, buyers for the store scout these products to bring them to shelves near you.

“We realize there are many more steps to take, and we recognize it’s an ongoing process to provide as much Earth-friendly packaging as possible,” said Gallo. “We will continue to evaluate each department within our stores as we seek to continually improve.”

If you are interested in finding environmentally friendly options, just ask one of the friendly team members. Try a Sigg water container to minimize your use of plastic water bottles, or buy chocolate that is produced using wind power. There are a lot of easy ways to reduce your "carbon footprint," and Whole Foods Market is here to help you learn how!

Whole Foods Market, 465 S. Arroyo Pkwy., Pasadena, (626) 204-2266.