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Running Competitively & Keeping Our Environment Clean

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run free Jun 2019 11:52pm, 13 Jun 2019 3,387 posts	Quote Pin run free Gerda Steyn won Comrades, smashed the women's record AND put her rubbish in the bin. facebook.com An elite athlete who is an example to keeping our environment's clear of litter that often escapes into the environment to be eaten by animals or part of the plastic problem No more excuses from people who think their PB will be affected - be like Gerda and be an Environment Ambassador
swittle Jun 2019 10:11am, 14 Jun 2019 55,342 posts	Quote Pin swittle Your thread got me thinking: how does professional cycling address the issue of the waste its competitors generate? This article caused me to think even more: 33fuel.com
Old Croc Jun 2019 10:32am, 14 Jun 2019 30,050 posts	Quote Pin Old Croc I am a race director and last year we replaced the goody bag with a re-usable water bottle - so 450 less single use items. I am now in process of sourcing compostable cups for use at water station and finish instead of individual bottles of water. Got a supplier lined up and they've promised a nice discount!
run free Jun 2019 10:45am, 14 Jun 2019 3,388 posts	Quote Pin run free Old Croc - the compostable cups require a high temp that only an industrial composter can reach. Hence if a runner still tosses it into the environment it could be there for years. I have a couple of cups that are still trying to "home compost" from 2017! If the participants already have personal bottles/cups - have jugs of liquid ready that they can fill up from. Check in with Cheltenham Challenge (about 1600 participants) to see how they have made this work (trained the volunteers; water sponsor has provided reusable water dispensers so participants are still receiving "bottled water"; volunteers fill jugs to make it ready for a quick fil; participants can also help themselvesl) Swittle - great article.
run free Jun 2019 10:51am, 14 Jun 2019 3,389 posts	Quote Pin run free NB compostable cups are not worth it, often resulting in more greenhouse gas production.
Velociraptor Jun 2019 10:55am, 14 Jun 2019 42,000 posts	Quote Pin Velociraptor I can imagine a post-race litter pick after Comrades would be straightforward but hope there's a special place in Hell for off-road runners, cyclists, horse riders and the like who leave a trail of gel wrappers and clingfilm behind them as they go.
Wriggling Snake Jun 2019 11:22am, 14 Jun 2019 22,897 posts	Quote Pin Wriggling Snake Here, here on the gels. We find those wrappers more than anything around the peaks after races.
Wriggling Snake Jun 2019 11:23am, 14 Jun 2019 22,898 posts	Quote Pin Wriggling Snake Hmm, that should be Hear! Hear! 😁. I thought it looked odd.
run free Jun 2019 5:38pm, 14 Jun 2019 3,390 posts	Quote Pin run free FYI: Old Croc here is some info about biodegradable https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqKxY519PSE Also there is a report in the Independent