“At Publix, we are fortunate to have customers and associates who are committed to sustaining our environment,” said Maria Brous, Publix director of media and community relations. “That’s why we focus on the responsible use of environmental resources, and offering our customers and associates options when choosing paper, plastic or reusable bags.”

The company has offered in-store recycling of paper and plastic bags since the mid-1970s and introduced its first .99 cent reusable bags in mid-2007. Since the introduction, more than 13 million reusable bags have been sold at Publix locations.

In 2009, the company’s overall recycling rate was 45 percent. That year, 210,000 tons of cardboard, 7,000 tons of plastic and 2,200 tons of mixed paper were recycled by the grocery chain, which helped save approximately 5.2 million trees, 16.8 million gallons of water, and 1.8 million cubic yards of landfill space.

To learn more about the company’s sustainability efforts, or to view a copy of Publix’s 2009 Corporate Sustainability Report, visit www.publix.com/sustainability.