Conditions were perfect for the annual Bigfoot Snowshoe Race at Timber Ridge Resort in Traverse City. Temps in the 20s and plenty of snow for the over 400 shoers doing the 5K, 10K, or one-mile through the woods and ski trails. For yours truly (Jeff) it was the 12th straight year of lung-busting in the 5K.
I keep doing it, so I must enjoy it!
And after a brief recovery, it was off to my post at the Zero Waste station, keeping the event sustainable since 2017.
As usual, our station was set up near the back exit, where most of the traffic flowed. We set aside the lodge’s indoor trash bins, and covered an outside trash can and put a large All Waste box on top. It was all we needed.
Post-race food is chili served with compostable bowls and spoons. We also collected cardboard, plastic water bottles and paper cups, and a small assortment of miscellaneous items like hand warmers, Gu wrappers, race bibs, etc. which go to TerraCycle. We also collected the disposable aluminum chili pans, which we rinsed and recycled.
This year there was not much in recycling volume, so we took it to a nearby GFL recycling dropoff station rather than asking Bay Area Recycling for Community to pick it up. Compostables were taken back to Tuthill in South Lyon.
Landfill consisted only of soiled plastic bags that held the chili seasonings, and a solitary diaper. Diversion rate was down slightly to just under 98 percent, but that was due more to an overall waste reduction rather than more landfill.
Thanks to my friends Dave and Sue, who once again traveled up to help me with the Zero Waste effort, and congrats to Sue for her snowshoe debut, successfully completing the one-mile walk. Way to kick off 2025!
Happy Planet Running 