Midwest grocery store chain Jewel-Osco, Melrose Park, Ill., has reached a milestone by selling 1 million reusable shopping bags. The company began selling green bags in all of its stores in August 2007.

"We are seeing more and more people buying and using recyclable shopping bags," said Keith Nielsen, president of Jewel-Osco, in a press release. "This is likely due to the heightened awareness about the environment and the impact of plastic bags in landfills."

The chain operates 183 stores in Illinois, Iowa and Indiana.