Safeway Stores to Hand Out "Bear Aware" Bags

(06/18/2003) - SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The Tahoe Council for Wild Bears (TCWB) and Safeway stores are teaming up to teach people who live or recreate in bear country how to be “bear aware.”  Their goal is to keep bears out of trouble and help people understand how they can play a role in saving bears’ lives.  For several weeks beginning in late June, all Safeway stores in Northern California and Hawaii will distribute paper grocery bags that display a “keep bears alive and wild” message.  Approximately one million bags will carry an artistic illustration of a bear, accompanied by important tips on living and recreating in bear country.  The website for the TCWB, www.tahoewildbears.org, is also listed on the bag, so Safeway shoppers can learn even more information about black bears in the Lake Tahoe basin.

“The wonderful thing about educating people with a simple message on a grocery bag is that it reaches all demographics—we’re not targeting a specific sector of the population, we want everyone to know how to be ‘bear aware.’  We thank Safeway for printing this important message for all to see. ” said Cynthia Wilkerson of Defenders of Wildlife.

Members of the TCWB hope shoppers will clip the tips and artwork from the bags, and display them on their refrigerators at home, so they’ll continue to remember the important “do’s” and don’ts” for living and recreating in bear country.

Bear incidents occur each year in the Tahoe basin , most of them resulting from human negligence and many related to bears being able to access garbage and human food.  Unfortunately, bears that become accustomed to human sources of food often end up being killed because they become “problem bears.”  It is the goal of the TCWB to offer “bear aware” education that teaches people that they have the ability and responsibility to make wise choices that prevent bears from getting killed.

"This message will be really successful if people in bear country not only learn to "bag" their trash, but put it in bear resistant containers as well," said bear biologist Carl Lackey from the Nevada Division of Wildlife.  

Ann Bryant of the BEAR League said, "These grocery bags are one of the many excellent educational products that the Tahoe Council has created over the past year.  The BEAR League is honored to be a part of the TCWB partnership and we feel, with all of us working together and each bringing our strengths and commitments to the Council, we will accomplish our goal of keeping our bears alive and wild."  

The grocery bag campaign is funded by Defenders of Wildlife through a grant from the Wendy P. McCaw Foundation. The Tahoe Council for Wild Bears is a unique coalition of 11 groups that have gathered together to educate the public about bears and create an environment in the Lake Tahoe Basin that promotes the co-existence of humans and bears and reduces bear/human conflicts.  Partnering organizations of the TCWB include: Animal Protection Institute, BEAR League, California Department of Fish and Game, Defenders of Wildlife, Echo Lakes Environment Fund, Humane Society of the United States, Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, McClintock Metal Fabrications Inc., Nevada Division of Wildlife, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and U.S. Forest Service.  Other TCWB projects include Living with Bears presentations for the Tahoe area, Living with Bears brochures, and a website at www.tahoewildbears.org.

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Defenders of Wildlife is one of the nation's most progressive advocates for wildlife and habitat, and was named as one of America's Top 100 Charities by Worth magazine. With more than 430,000 members and supporters, Defenders is an effective voice for wildlife and habitat. To learn more about Defenders of Wildlife, please visit www.defenders.org.

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Contact(s):

Cynthia Wilkerson, (916) 313-5810