Earth Day 2019 – How Runners Can Help the Planet – Runner’s World

What comes to mind when you picture your perfect running backdrop? Maybe a trail winding through a sun-dappled forest, a vast expanse of white, sandy beach, or a long stretch of road with white-capped mountain peaks on the horizon. There are so many beautiful places to run in the world, and Earth Day (this year on April 22) serves as a great reminder of our need to celebrate and protect them.

While it’s easy to view running as being entirely harmless to the planet, there are a number of ways you can step it up when it comes to adopting more eco-friendly running habits—and breaking some bad ones.

“Running is one of the lowest impact sports in terms of the environment. All you need is a body,” says Shelley Villalobos, managing director of the The Council for Responsible Sport. “The impacts start to come into play when runners do things like rely on single-use plastic bottles for hydration, litter their energy gel and bar wrappers, and, most impactful from a climate perspective, when they travel cross-country for events without compensating for the greenhouse gas emissions of their air travel.”

Every runner can take steps to be a little greener this Earth Day—just ask the environmental professionals, race directors, and athletes themselves who are leading the way by enforcing sustainability in the running community.

Take Some Trash Off the Trails

Peter Maksimow, outreach and partnership specialist of the American Trail Running Association, believes that small efforts to be a greener runner beyond Earth Day can gradually evolve into bigger commitments. Some of his many duties involve educating the public on proper trail running etiquette and “Leave No Trace” principles, and he makes sure to practice what he preaches on a regular basis.

“I have a hashtag, #JustOnePiece—pick up just one piece of trash when you’re on the trail. And hopefully, that one piece leads to 10, and then a whole bag full,” Maksimow says. He started a Colorado Springs-based Facebook group, Pikes Peak Ploggers, that’s dedicated to doing just that. Members share photos of themselves running the scenic trails of Pikes Peak while “plogging,” or taking part in the growing trend of picking up trash while on their runs. “It makes people more aware of the problem,” says Maksimow. “I plog every single day.”

Make Your Voice Heard

It’s important for individuals to adopt environmentally friendly habits themselves, but runners can do their part to hold races accountable, too.

As a board member of the Council for Responsible Sport, the world’s leading responsible sport certification program, Keith Peters has been helping both athletes and event organizers manage the social and environmental impacts of their activities for years. Peters confirms that runners can make a difference just by speaking up when they notice races implementing eco-friendly practices, such as opting for paperless communications, using renewable energy sources (such as solar panels) to meet event operations needs, composting organic waste, and picking up trash left on the course. “You can either applaud the race organizer for doing a good job or challenge them to do a good job,” he said.

Bruce Rayner, chief green officer at Athletes for a Fit Planet, acts as a consultant to help race directors make responsible decisions when it comes to minimizing their environmental footprints. By choosing to take the The Pledge of Sustainability, which is a stepping stone to getting certified by the Council for Sustainable Sport, a race can commit to doing a minimum of 10 (maximum 35) items on the list. These initiatives might include:

• Supplying participants with eco-friendly T-shirts made from 100 percent recycled polyester or organic cotton
• Banning styrofoam at the event
• Ensuring that portable toilets are using environmentally responsible chemicals
• Providing “VIP parking” for vehicles with more than one occupant to encourage ridesharing

Races should then publicize their good practices to participants, sponsors, and the local community. “We want runners to select races that are environmentally responsible,” Rayner says. “Support the ones that are doing the right thing by the planet. You can identify them as races that have taken the pledge or have been certified.” (See a list of races that have been certified.)

Take Action, Talk About It

The Ragnar Relay Series has a long-standing commitment to eco-friendly practices and makes sure to communicate that to the public. “Ragnar has been on the leading edge of working toward sustainability for a while, specifically with our trail races,” says Alex Docta, senior race director. “Runners get reusable bib belts so we don’t use a ton of safety pins, we provide compostable flatware for all meals, and we offset our staff travel carbon.” Runners who are traveling a long distance to the race are given the option of buying carbon offsets from terrapass, which allows them to compensate for the CO2 emissions of their flight or drive by funding clean energy projects.

An avid runner himself, Docta can attest that small actions make a big difference, whether it’s carpooling with friends to the trailhead, picking up after pets on the trail, or donating used running shoes. He urges runners to spread the word about their responsible habits: “Be proud of the sustainable things you do and share them with your friends. Sharing is not bragging—the more people are aware of sustainable initiatives, the better.”

Help Reduce Waste at the Race

Paul Gigliotti, founder of race management company Pirate Perry Events, knows that all running events have the potential to create a lot of waste. As part of his organization’s Going Green Initiative, he’s made an extra effort to help his races become more environmentally sustainable. “We often have postrace food and beverages, and we ask that everyone bring their own silverware, dishes, and cups. It really cuts down on the amount of trash afterward.”

He’s also an advocate for cup-less aid stations. What’s a runner to do in this scenario? “Use hydration packs or , which are 7-ounce silicone cups that smush down to almost nothing; they can be tucked into waistbands or packs. This prevents hundreds of disposable cups from ending up in the landfill or out on the trail.”