Help Us Leave No Trace: Keep our markets eco-friendly
Market shoppers play a critical part in helping VFM leave our market sites in better condition than when we arrive. Small actions go a long way to help us be good neighbours and treat the land with respect.
One of the simplest ways to help is by returning your empty food containers, cups, and used utensils to the vendor you purchased them from. The vendor will have an appropriate disposal station, and make sure any waste is removed at the end of the market and is disposed of in the correct manner.
Thank you for helping us reduce waste and work towards our goal of creating cleaner, lower-impact markets.
What is VFM doing to reduce waste?
Avoiding the landfill
According to Oceana Canada, 87% of Canadian plastic waste ends up in landfills or the environment. Our vendors only use recyclable and compostable containers for food service or sampling to encourage recycling and composting. In alignment with the City of Vancouver Single Use Reduction Strategy, single-use plastics and styrofoam service containers are not allowed.
“Pack it in, Pack it out” principle
Our markets operate on a simple principle: vendors who generate waste are responsible for managing it. By returning your waste to the vendor you buy it from, you’re helping ensure materials are sorted properly, reducing litter, and helping us leave no trace at our market sites.
Bring Your Own
Bringing your own reusable containers, mugs, and cutlery is one of the easiest ways to reduce waste at the market. Reusable containers make it easy to take leftovers home, insulated mugs keep drinks hot, and you’ll create less waste while enjoying your market meal.
Need a reusable bag? VFM sells tote bags of different sizes at the Info Tent.
Market Meals – A Short Story
You’ve just finished the last bite of your Authentic Afghani dumplings. While the busker is wrapping up their song, you prepare to leave the canopy of the umbrella which has served as your people-watching post for the last 20 minutes. Looking around, you’re not sure where to put the empty container. You think you saw a city bin around the corner, but you can’t be certain. You think to yourself “why aren’t there any garbage cans around the market?”…. Then you remember. The signs, all those signs, the one by the information tent, another next to Abaas’ register, a third beside you the whole time you ate. You walk over to the tent to see the green organics bin reflecting the sun. The clamshell slips into the slot on the lid, but you will never forget the first bite of those dumplings. And you leave, with a full belly, produce for the week, and knowledge that you’ve done your part.
