In the Fall of 2008 Mayor John Hickenlooper and Greenprint Denver announced a seven-step challenge to achieve 50% reductions from base year 2007 in the consumption of plastic shopping bags by 2012. This challenge is based entirely upon voluntary reductions by individuals, which will be promoted through cooperative efforts by Greenprint Denver and local retailers to raise shopper awareness of the environmental hazards of disposable plastic and paper bags, and by educating shoppers on alternatives such as reusable bags.

We welcome Target stores to this challenge. Other committed partners include Walmart, Safeway, King Soopers, Whole Foods, and Vitamin Cottage.

The Challenge for participating stores and retailers includes:

1) Sell reusable bags at checkout stands and position them alongside plastic and paper bags as an easily selected option
2) Advertise reusable bag rebates prominently at checkout stands
3) Train baggers to use good bagging practices which encourage shoppers to consider purchasing / using reusable bags and effectively maximize the number of items that are placed in each bag
4) Provide plastic bag recycling containers in visible, accessible locations and ensure that recycled bags are returned to bag manufacturers
5) Commit to bag reduction goals and benchmarks and agree to provide Greenprint Denver with data showing progress / lack of progress toward bag reduction goals on an annual basis
6) Designate a company representative to serve as the challenge coordinator who can be a point of contact for Greenprint Denver for all matters related to the program
7) Support plastic bag challenge efforts by allowing Greenprint staff / volunteers to hand out bags out side of stores and survey patrons, and by providing / assisting with purchasing reusable bags for free distribution as possible