The Super 5K was once again held at Novi High School on Super Bowl Sunday. For once the weather was perfect for a fast run, with no snow or ice, little wind, and temps in the 30s. And with hot food afterward, everyone seemed to leave happy, and ready to enjoy the day’s signature event in the evening.
The Zero Waste team set up three stations, all inside: one by the entrance/exit, one in the back center of the common area, and one in the cafeteria by the exit to the common room. At each station we set up All Waste boxes on tables.
Outside at the finish line there was only some cardboard and plastic wrap from water bottle cases, which they dropped off near the entrance, along with the aid station cups and jugs.
Outside we covered two of the school’s trash can, and moved two others. Inside we moved out of reach all the trash cans in the common area and cafeteria.
Food consisted of bananas and Little Caesar’s pizza, wings, and cheesy bread. They came in small, “personal size” boxes, which we stacked in one of the school’s large waste carts. (Note: at the end, they were stacked high above the rim.) They filled a 96-gallon plastic bag, which we were just able to fit into the trailer after loading everything else. Because of the grease, they were all sent to compost.
Landfill was a couple of masks, a little tape, a few stickers, and two bags of dog poop, all of which added up to less than one pound.
One additional nice touch was no pint glasses this year, so there was no broken glass to sweep up! And less cardboard to deal with.
And thanks to my volunteers Dave Hares and my wife Joyce, who kept the stations in order, and to Laurie, who helped at the end bagging pizza boxes and carrying equipment to the trailer!
Happy Planet Running 