Garden City students are participating in an environmentally-friendly fundraiser to not only push the "green" movement but raise funds for their respective schools.

The MY ECO School Reuse Challenge is aimed at "igniting behavior change." Students can earn money as well as reward points for their school by selling and reusing the MY ECO Shopping Bag System at designated store partners, including Kings in Garden City.

Kristen Brown invented the green system. Ironically, her father, Gordon Dancy, introduced the plastic grocery bag to America back in 1977.

"The innovative product dramatically altered the way we shop," Brown said. "Today, we must change behavior again as we work towards a more sustainable future."

As an environmental consultant for the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Brown says the only long-term sustainable option is reuse. "Now, 40 years since the invention of the plastic bag, I would like to introduce MY ECO Shopping Bag System as the next evolution in sustainable living."

MY ECO is partnering with Kings super markets to rollout the education-based initiative. Garden City High School's Interact/Key Club is taking part in the movement. Every time a student sells the MY ECO Shopping Bag, a 4-in-1 system made of recycled yogurt cartons, Kings will donate $5 to their school. And, every time the bag is used at Kings, the school will receive 25-cents back and the cashier will scan a barcode so the schools can also earn points that can be redeemed for school supplies. The three-week fundraiser in Garden City started Oct. 11 and continues through Oct. 29.

Connie Deckel, general store manager at Kings on Franklin Avenue, said she's thrilled the super market is taking part in the challenge. "As the store manager, I see how many plastic bags are consumed on a daily basis. The key is creating awareness so people remember to reuse their bag over the long term. This program creates that behavior change and helps schools at the same time."

Brown adds that the goal is to reach students at a young age to create "environmental consciousness." "Then, they become advocates for the cause and disseminate the lessons to their family and community; it is the key to behavior change," she said.

Monthly statements measuring a school's progress will not only provide the amount of times the systems were reused but will also estimate the amount of plastic bags each school has diverted from landfills and incinerators.

Between four and five trillion plastic bags are used each year globally; each one can take between 500 to 1,000 years to decompose. Many end up in oceans, where, oftentimes, thousands of sea turtles choke on plastic bags after mistaking them for jellyfish, a favorite food, according to MY ECO. 

"Kings has a commitment to our community and the environment," says Kings senior marketing director Pat Mikell. "The Kings School Reuse Challenge allows us to help both."

The 4-in-1 Reusable Shopping Bag System:

The system holds nearly $300 worth of groceries in the four reusable bags Brown says fit like a puzzle into a shopping cart. All the bags, according to MY ECO, have a non-porous liner that is non-absorbent so it can easily be wiped clean to resist bacterial growth.

• The smallest (black) bag can hold glass bottles and jars. Fabric bands keep glass from clanging together.
• The medium (blue) bag is designed with an insulated liner to pack chilled and frozen foods. A zipper close helps control temperature during long shopping trips. 
• The large (green) bag can hold fruits and vegetables. 
• The extra large (brown) bag can hold all other groceries, suitable for large oversized boxes and paper supplies.

More information about the MY ECO Shopping Bag System can found at www.getmyeco.com; more information about Kings Super Markets can be found at www.kingswebsite.com.