The Dexter-Ann Arbor Run this year was notable for several things. Attendance regained the 3,000 mark for the first time since the pandemic, and with some major changes to waste management, we set a new low in landfill waste! The two biggest changes were replacing disposable cups at the water stops with reusable silicone cupsContinue reading “Attendance Up, Waste Down! Dexter-Ann Arbor Run 2023 Sustainability Report”
Tag Archives: Ann Arbor
Shamrocks & Shenanigans 2023 Sustainability Report
Another year, another Shamrocks & Shenanigans 5K on a blustery day. But people showed up to run, so the Zero Waste team was there to pick up after them. One Zero Waste station was set up in the parking lot near the finish line. No canopy this year, and we used our stationary sign withContinue reading “Shamrocks & Shenanigans 2023 Sustainability Report”
RF Events Ann Arbor Turkey Trot 2022 Sustainability Report
This year’s downtown Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning had the best weather for the event in the six years I’ve worked it. And I had a crew of five assisting me! After a year of scrambling for help, this was something to be truly grateful for. Runners start at Liberty St. and Fourth Ave., andContinue reading “RF Events Ann Arbor Turkey Trot 2022 Sustainability Report”
Red, White, Blue, and Green! 2022 Firecracker 5K Sustainability Report
After a year at Briarwood Mall, this year’s July 4 Firecracker 5K returned to Fourth and Liberty (!) in downtown Ann Arbor. Also back, per tradition, was the hot dog division (eat four hot dogs in 76 seconds, then run the 5K), and a Twinkie division, too. Fortunately, there were no “cleanup on Liberty Street!”Continue reading “Red, White, Blue, and Green! 2022 Firecracker 5K Sustainability Report”
Zero Waste Four Years Running! 2022 Dexter-Ann Arbor Run Sustainability Report
This year’s Dexter-Ann Arbor Run was back at its normal date of early June, with increased attendance and a perfect day for running. And for the fourth consecutive year, we achieved over 96 percent landfill diversion, qualifying it per ZWIA [1] guidelines as a true “Zero Waste” event! (90% Diversion is considered Excellent and 95%Continue reading “Zero Waste Four Years Running! 2022 Dexter-Ann Arbor Run Sustainability Report”
Wearin’ O’ the White: Shamrocks & Shenanigans 5K Sustainability Report
Dear St. Patrick: Great job with the snakes and all. Anything you can do about snow? The Shamrocks & Shenanigans 5K took place on a day where, unofficially at least, spring took over. But that was in the afternoon. Race morning was a final blast of winter fury – cold, windy, and snowing. Still, theContinue reading “Wearin’ O’ the White: Shamrocks & Shenanigans 5K Sustainability Report”
One Piece at a Time
(Note: This is also posted on my personal blog, RunCoffeeWrite, because, well, because I have the power.) Went out for a club run yesterday morning, and I had garbage on my mind. Perhaps I should say, “litter” instead because, after all, I’m the Zero Waste guy, who reduces, reuses, and recycles (and composts) as muchContinue reading “One Piece at a Time”
Downtown Ann Arbor Turkey Trot Sustainability Report
Despite a chilly rain, the downtown Ann Arbor Turkey Trot 5K and kids run took place on schedule, with a good crowd on hand. And despite the conditions, the Zero Waste Team had its best Turkey Trot to date, with less than one pound of landfill!
We’re Still Here!
Well, it’s been a long time since I’ve had an event to work. But Happy Planet Running is still here! And when racing resumes, so will my work to keep events as Zero Waste as possible. The last event I helped with, the Super 5K in February, seems like it happened years ago. Now it’sContinue reading “We’re Still Here!”
Ann Arbor Track Club Salutes Zero Waste at its Flagship Event
The Dexter-Ann Arbor Run, a half-marathon put on by the Ann Arbor Track Club (AATC), has been held annually since 1974 and draws thousands of runners each year. As with any event that size, it generates a lot of waste. In 2018 AATC approved a Zero Waste initiative for the race, and landfill waste wasContinue reading “Ann Arbor Track Club Salutes Zero Waste at its Flagship Event”
Happy Planet Running 