GEBE Saba Manager, Dexter Johnson, presented the first reusable bag to Governor Jonathan Johnson. Approximately 1000 reusable bags were distributed on Saba as part of the GEBE Environmental initiative to reduce the amount of plastic in the environment by changing the habit of using single use plastic bags. With the bags, GEBE hopes to encourage shoppers to BYOB, bring your own bag, when shopping.
The GEBE reusable bag replaces approximately 8 plastic bags and used regularly can replace up to 1664 bags in its lifetime. Although primarily aimed at grocery shoppers, customers have raved that the bags are useful for shopping, toting and numerous other activities where they would have previously used a plastic bag.
GEBE has collaborated with the Saba Conservation Foundation in the first Supermarket Challenge on Saba in 2009 as well as with the GEBE Green Expo in June 2010 and with the planting of 50 trees as part of the GEBE’s 50 years anniversary celebrations. Due to the combined efforts of the Saba Conservation Foundation, Saba Supermarket owners and GEBE; shoppers now have to pay for their plastic bags. Most now bring their own bag resulting in a significant reduction in plastic reaching the landfill.