Run Scream Run returned to Wiard’s Orchards after a year hiatus, and the Haunted Village was scary as ever. Attendance, at around 700, was about half the usual total but still had its share of colorful costumes.
Some group had held a party the previous night, and the ground was littered with tiny liquor bottles and other trash. As I policed the field I saw one of the orchard’s staffers also picking up trash. I told him to leave his bag by our station and I’d recover the recycling, so that total is a bit higher than actually generated by the race.
As with 2019, I set up a Zero Waste station between the start/finish line and the building where the cider and donuts would be served. After race start I set up another at the exit to the parking area. My friend Nick volunteered to help me at this race, and between the two of us we managed to handle the rush. Unlike 2019, there was no station at the start/finish line, as only cardboard and plastic wrap from water bottle cases was expected.
With limited waste streams – banana peels, water bottles, donuts on napkins, and cider cups – things went mostly smoothly. Just a few small challenges: the cider is a bit sticky, so many of the cups needed a quick rinse. Compostable cups would work better, as there’d be no need to rinse them. The “bag for bags” at the finish line had some banana peels and water bottles in it – we need to hide it better. And once the sun came out, so did the yellow jackets, so there were some tricky moments at the end and during takedown.
Overall, another successful event, with landfill diversion over 99 percent!
Happy Planet Running 
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