Conditions were perfect for this year’s Bigfoot Snowshoe race up in Traverse City. Temps in the low 20s, partly sunny, and plenty of good snow to run on. And over 500 crazy people showed up to run the 5K, 10K, or one mile races. (Yours truly made a wrong turn and ended up running 7.5K, but that’s a story for my other blog.)
Afterward, the runners enjoyed hot chili in the lodge, and Team Zero Waste was there to make sure the waste was properly composted or recycled. This year there were no packages of crackers to deal with (yay!). Our landfill would have been less than one pound, but someone dropped a mug (darn).
Thanks to my wife Joyce, and my friends Dave and Sue Hares for helping me staff the station and keep everything sorted for pickup by Bay Area Recycling for Charities (BARC). Thanks as well to BARC, who saves me from having to drive to the recycling and compost centers after the race, and of course to RF Events who continues to use Happy Planet Running to keep their races zero waste!
The only thing I need to add to my checklist is to hide the trash containers inside the lodge. If people see them, they use them. They weren’t a big deal to sort, as it was mainly compostable chili bowls and spoons, just a little unpleasant surprise at the end, but hardly something to complain about on such a nice day.
Happy Planet Running 