This summer season, our Farmers’ Market will be launching our waste-free strategy. This 3-year plan will get us on track to being a zero-waste market , something that is very important to us, and our customers.
To get you started, here are 5 easy ways to make your market shop waste-free:
BYOBags- this one is obvious. Bring your own reusable bag to market and you won’t need to take a plastic one home. We also have our Bag Swap at market if you forget- just try to bring one back sometime! This one is going to be especially important come summer when single use plastic bags will be completely banned from our market.
Meal plan- make a meal plan before you come to market, and have a use for all the ingredients you will purchase. Try to avoid buying products you don’t know how you’ll use yet, to avoid them going bad in your fridge. Check out https://savethefood.com/ for meal planning tools, storage tips, and recipes to use when something starts to turn.
Buy ‘Bulk’- some of our vendors are able to provide packaging free options for their produce. Why not buy the un-packaged peppers and make a point of storing them properly when you get home in reusable containers or cripsers to maintain their freshness? They cost the same as the ones in the packaging, and you can buy as many as you will use. By year three of our waste-free strategy, we hope to have supported our vendors to a point where all their packaging will be recyclable or compostable.
Return packaging when available- some vendors even take their packaging back! Return your egg cartons, or glass honey jars so they can be refilled. You can even bring your own packaging for some items- bring a glass container for your raspberries in the summer and leave the carton behind to be refilled and set out! Be sure to check with the vendor that they can refill the container. Sometimes they are not allowed due to provincial health and safety regulations.
Understand the Calgary sorting system- Did you know that any plastic that stretches when you push your finger through it can be recycled in Calgary? They just have to all be bundled up together into one bigger bag, and tied securely shut. Much of the packaging you receive at market can be recycled or composted already. Not sure? Ask your vendor, or use the City of Calgary What goes Where search tool to find out. Tuesday March 3rd at the HSCA join your community for a Zero-Waste evening to learn how to recycle right, and kick off your zero-waste lifestyle.
Stay tuned to our website for the release of our full Waste-free Strategy, to be made available at the end of March. We look forward to taking this journey with you, and appreciate any and all feedback along the way.
