A Race Director’s Environmental Quest to set a New Standard of Racing

3 March 2009--On September 12 2009, Port Perry, Ontario, will host Canada’s first carbon-neutral Half Marathon/5K. Race director Angela Connolly’s mission is to become the first race in Canada to gain environmental certification from the Oregon-based Council for Responsible Sport.

”We will calculate the total amount of carbon dioxide (both direct and indirect) used for this race and offset that total by purchasing carbon credits with Planetair,” says Connolly. “To that end, a carbon levy has been integrated in the registration fee. This Eco-Run will demonstrate to the running community that we can make a difference one light step at a time. This run forges a deep connection between personal health and our planet’s health.”

The race will be carbon neutral by balancing the requirements of the race--such as advertising, registration, water stations, race set up, supplies, race travel, timing, food and prizes--with reducing, re-using and re-cycling, buying local and being aware of the amount of greenhouse gas being created. The total amount of carbon dioxide (both direct and indirect) used for the race will be calculated and offset by purchasing carbon credits with Planetair, www.planetair.ca.

The footrace sims to demonstrate to the running community that carbon- neutral events are possible and hopes to forge a deep connection between personal health and our planet’s health. In our personal quest for good health and clean air, this non-polluting practice will allow us to enjoy the natural high that running brings.

To help obtain the environmental goals, event organizers are calling on participants to get involved on race day. These include:
- Organizing a group of friends to car-pool (prize draw)
- Arriving green: bike or walk (prize draw)
- Avoiding the use of disposable plastic bottles
- Donating unwanted medals to the Medals 4 Mettle program. (www.medals4mettle.org)
- Assisting organizers with waste management and following recycling bin signs

Race organizers aimed for nothing short of a new standard in racing, actions were developed asking the four basic questions; do we need it, can we recycle it from something else, what local suppliers are available, and if none of the above is available, what socio-ecological responsible suppliers can we find?

With these guidelines in mind the following actions were set in place:
- Mother Earth Friendly bamboo t-shirts, environmentally screened with vegetable dyes, produced by a local manufacturer
- Disposable plastic bottle ban
- Water station cups made of bio-degradable corn by-product
- Biodegradable kit bags
- Handmade 100% recycled organic, native seed paper bibs
- Hand crafted wood medals with hemp string made from discarded branches, by a local carving group
- Running shoe-recycling drop
- Medal donation program, Medal 4 Mettle www.medals4mettle.org
- Extensive recycling program and information booth
- Race tree planting opportunities
- Car-pooling and I didn’t drive to arrive draw prizes
- Race day local farmers market and artisans booths
- Paperless Registration
- Race Day is powered by Bullfrog www.bullfrogpower.com
- Canada’s first race certification with the Council for Responsible Sport- Evergreen level (Resport) www.resport.org

For more information on this event please see www.portperryrun.ca or email pphalfmarathon@hotmail.com

LINK :
2009 Port Perry Carbon Neutral Half Marathon