Looking at Our Options
Tacoma has a history of leading the way for standards of recycling nationwide, including pioneering a compost program which was so new in the 90s, it was free of charge! Today, due to the rising cost of processing recyclables, Tacoma Waste has had to make changes to its recycling guidelines. Fewer plastics are accepted, and those that are must be rinsed. Plastic lids are not acceptable, and neither are single cups, utensils, food wrappers and crinkly plastic packaging.
Marlene’s Market & Deli is keenly aware of the environmental impact these changes may cause in the long run, so we have committed to looking for additional sustainable options.
There are compostable plastic containers on the market. However, a majority of them are made with GMO corn. Despite the advantages offered by these compostable plastics, Marlene’s Market & Deli feels that supporting an industry so dangerous to the planet is unacceptable. Marlene herself felt very strongly about this and dedicated much of her time and effort to support labeling GMO foods. While some businesses have opted to use GMO sourced products, we cannot in good conscience support GE corn and GE agriculture.
What you can do
While we work to adapt to the new guidelines and research partners and supplies for optimized compostability, there are some things you can do right now to help reduce the amount of materials that end up in a landfill.
• Bring your own bag and save that pesky 5 cents where applicable.
• Reuse glass jars. Marlene’s carries the Italian Bormioli line which is perfect for spices, bulk foods and nut butters. And they look so good on your kitchen counter!
• When ordering from the deli, ask for a “for here” mug, soup bowl or salad bowl. Silverware is available in the dining room. Consider the Planet (yes, capitol P) before using a plastic straw. If you have a water flask, save a paper cup.
• Marlene’s also carries a variety of reusable containers, bamboo forks, spoons and knives – many with handy travel containers.
• Health Department code prevents us from serving juices in personal containers. And while that’s needed for everyone’s safety, we are researching viable substitutions for the plastics we can’t avoid.
Going forward
Our focus in 2020 is to seek options for compostable materials and community partners that align with our principles as well as the requirements made by our municipal organizations. We work to put more emphasis on reusable options and help our customers participate in reducing the amount of plastic headed to landfills. We’ve been friends for a long time and we know you care. We think this will be fun and rewarding. We look forward to sharing our progress with you. Thank you in advance for your support!






