MacDill AAFES goes green

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Katherine Holt
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
Recycling plastic, aluminum cans and paper products are all things that people have been doing for years to help save the environment. The Army and Air Force Exchange Service along with The Defense Commissary Agency have both introduced another way for people to do their part. 

AAFES is introducing reusable bags to military shoppers. Made of non-woven polypropylene mesh, the bags are now arriving in stores in the United States, with worldwide distribution expected by June. 

"Military shoppers continue to express a strong desire for environmentally friendly products," said Maggie Burgess, AAFES' senior vice president of sales. 

The AAFES recycled-reusable bag line, capable of carrying up to 35 pounds, will consist of a small shopping bag and wine bag for 99 cents each, a large shopping bag for $1.49 and a thermal bag is available for $1.99. 

DECA has found that the reusable bag method works. Commissary customers have purchased more than 1 million shopping bags sold at commissaries worldwide. 

The popular green bags, which were introduced last October, cost 70 cents each, are made of sturdy mesh and are strong enough to hold up to 30 pounds of groceries. The bags are machine washable and can be recycled when no longer usable. 

In addition to the reusable bags sold at commissaries and AAFES, shoppers have other options. 

Bennett Boyd, a commissary shopper here, discovered a way for shoppers to extend the use of the brown paper bags. The U.S. Air Force retiree suggests when emptying your brown bags at home double all of them and place them in one bag and put them back into the car. 

When returning to the store, hand them to the bagger for reuse. 

He has been using this system for nine months now and stresses that it works.
Whether it's recycling old plastic bottles or using these reusable bags, everyone should try to do their part in saving the environment.