Marin Farmers Markets is proud of its role in building viable local food systems. After all, eating locally grown food is one of the most delicious steps we can all take toward lessening our impact on the planet. Still, there are many opportunities to make our farmers market experiences more environmentally sound - from how we carry our fresh fruits and vegetables home, to the utensils we use to enjoy our lunch, to how we get to and from the market. Join us in taking simple steps toward a greener market place. Together we can create change.

MFM's Green Goals

1. To create a zero waste marketplace, where reusable products are pervasive and biodegradable products have replaced plastics and are properly composted.

2. To encourage and educate customers to be more eco-conscious and support them with the tools to revolutionize their farmers market shopping experience.

3. To encourage and educate farmers and food purveyors to incorporate eco-friendly products into their business models.

4. To build partnerships with local environmental groups to increase public awareness and waste management organizations to implement an effective and eco-friendly waste stream.

Customer Action Steps

• B.Y.O.B. Bring your own bag. We estimate that over 2.5 million plastic bags are used at our Sunday and Thursday Civic Center markets in a year. If every individual eater that shopped our Sunday Civic Center market used one reusable bag a week we could collectively reduce our plastic bag usage by 400,000. Do your part - bring your own tote bag and produce bags. Be they cloth, mesh, recycled plastic, or simply plastic bags that you wash and reuse every week, every reusable bag makes a difference.
• Reuse Containers. A basket of delicate strawberries fits perfectly in a quart yogurt container. Blueberries, cherry tomatoes, nuts, and dried fruit are also a nice fit. Bring back your egg cartons, berry baskets, and honey jars.
• Bring and reuse your own utensils. Avoid single use cutlery when possible.
• Bring and reuse your own beverage container. Travel mugs, glass jars, or water bottles are handy reusable alternatives to disposable coffee cups and water bottles.
• Voice your support for green business practices. Assure the farmers and food purveyors you frequent that you would support their transition to plastic bag alternatives and more environmentally friendly packing. These products inevitably cost more than single use plastics. Your support will ensure that the transition is positive and smooth.
• Get educated and share your knowledge. Learn about where our waste goes, the impacts of single use bags and packaging, and the green alternatives. Visit our Green Links and view MFM’s Greening Your Lifestyle brochure and Marin Sanitary’s Reality of Plastic display to get started.

MFM's Action Steps

• Certified Green Business. In 2006, MFM became a Certified Green Business in Marin County. We consider the environmental impact of every element of our operations. At our office, we use: 100% recycled paper, energy efficient lighting systems, biodegradable soaps and cleaning fluids, and reclaimed water to flush our toilets. We print all of our educational and marketing materials on 100% recycled papers with soy based inks. We enjoy our water in mugs rather than plastic bottles. At our market, we use recycled plastic trash bags, and all glass, plastic, and aluminum is recycled thanks to Marin Sanitary’s single-stream recycling program.
• B.Y.O.B. Earth Day 2008 marked the beginning of our Bring Your Own Bag campaign. In honor of Earth Day, Marin Farmers Markets replaced plastic bags with 100% recycled paper bags for the day. Our hope was to jump start a conversation about our current consumption habits, to make clear what the true hurdles are in phasing out plastics, and to inspire customers to take change into their own hands. The most durable alternatives to single-use plastic or paper bags are reusable bags. In an effort to ensure that no one is left bag-less, reusable cotton tote bags and produce bags are always available at the MFM information booth.
• Green Wednesdays. MFM is proud to partner with Sustainable Fairfax, transforming every Wednesday at the Fairfax Farmers Market into a Green Wednesday. In addition to enjoying the freshest foods of the season, Fairfax residents take home practical lessons in how to shrink their environmental impact and increase their quality of life. From setting up bike racks before each market to making affordable reusable produce bags available to the public, Sustainable Fairfax has made significant contributions to creating a greener Fairfax Farmers Market. This November, the Town of Fairfax will vote on a measure to ban single-use plastic bags. MFM looks forward to transitioning smoothly to a plastic bag-free market, and hopes that this market along with its community of willing customers will set an example of what is possible.
• Exploring Viable Alternatives. While MFM has taken significant steps toward creating greener marketplaces, we still have a long way to go. We are continually exploring alternative systems and are open to collaborating with local community groups, businesses, and farmers’ market associations. Below is our Green Goal Checklist. If you have a bright idea and/or the energy to help us implement one, please let us know. Green Volunteers are welcome, and will be pivotal to helping us realize our Green Goals.
  • Find a local distributor of biodegradable bags to sell directly to farmers at our markets.
  • Implement a composting program at our markets. (Currently Marin County does not compost food waste, but with enough demand we hope to change that)
  • Have water refill stations available at our markets to eliminate the need for bottled water.