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Got Your Bags California?

New campaign encourages state to reduce, reuse and recycle

By Lauren Salisbury

| Sunday, Aug 2, 2009 | Updated 6:40 AM PST

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Billions of plastic bags like this one clog up landfills each year.

Paper or Plastic? How about neither. The “Got Your Bags?” campaign kicked off Thursday in San Jose urging you to change your answer to the question. The campaign, backed by non-profit, government and business groups, is part of a statewide effort to encourage Californians to recycle plastic bags and tote reusable bags instead.

“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.

Each year more than 500 billion bags are used across the globe. Only a slim fraction of those are recycled. According to the reusable bags website, plastic bags can take up to a thousand years to decompose in a landfill, and emit toxins into the soil.

“Making the switch from single-use paper or plastic bags to reusable ones is a simple but important step we can all take to benefit the environment,” said Chris Peck, publicaffairs director with the California Integrated Waste Management Board.

Flowers-Ewing is confident the campaign will make a positive impact on the environment.

“We all play an important role in trimming trash, stopping litter and helping to make California the most beautiful and cleanest state in the nation,” she said.