We’re working to Go Green! Check it out!
As we celebrate our 15th year in business and with 16 market locations developed around Tampa Bay, we can see the beautiful platform we have created for local artisans and entrepreneurs to succeed, and places for the community to come together and shop local.
What we also see is a lot of trash at each market we operate, and most of it is filled with one-use plastic and styrofoam, and we ask ourselves, “How can we do better?” Why do the markets we operate embody such a sense of community and environmental stewardship, yet a profusion of single-use plastics and Styrofoam are filling the trash cans?
Well, it’s 2025, and it’s time for a change!
Tampa Bay Markets is committed to creating a positive change toward sustainability in the communities we serve in Tampa Bay. We are proud to announce the launch of our Going Green initiative for 2025 and beyond.
To do this, and with the help of the University of Florida Extension Service, the University of South Florida, and Renuable, we have designed TBM’s Going Green Sustainability Program to help our vendors transition to Green Vendor practices, transition from the use of single-use plastics & styrofoam in the markets we operate and help educate market-goers on best practices to reduce waste.
About the Going Green Sustainability Program:
The program began with a series of workshop meetings and surveys amongst our vendors and the market customers. Volunteers from the University of Florida Extension Service and the University of South Tampa performed a survey at the Water Street Market in February and May of 2024. This survey showed results that 320 visitors took the Survey and 81% would prefer to use reusable bags, compostable bags, and alternatives to one-use plastics.
To view the stats from Market Customers, CLICK HERE.
To view the stats from the Market Vendors, CLICK HERE.
In addition, a waste audit was performed by Renuable, a local composting company, which highlighted the significant potential for diverting food and compostable materials in our community.
The audit revealed that nearly 49% of the food and materials produced during our events could be diverted from landfills through composting.
This diversion would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and by implementing comprehensive composting practices, we realize we can take meaningful steps toward creating a more sustainable and resilient environment for our community!
Starting on Earth Day Weekend, Sunday, April 20, 2025:
We are asking all TBM vendors to commit to our Green Vendor standards to reduce packaging waste and to replace environmentally harmful packaging by replacing their current options with paper and/or biodegradable options.
We realize that Phase 1 of this program will take time to implement, and some vendors may be ready to go, while others will take time to transition. Starting this Sunday, expect to shop with vendors who will offer a biodegradable bag instead of the regular plastic t-shirt bags. Additionally, vendors providing ready-to-eat foods will be offering biodegradable containers, straws, cups, and lids.
Market Customers can help pitch in, too!
We appreciate all of our dedicated market customers and their enthusiasm to help us move this program forward for the long term. We realize that these changes will take time.. When visiting the markets we operate, we encourage you to bring your own bags or opt out of a bag when purchasing goods at the markets.
