An organization dedicated to empowering girls and encouraging them to run decides to go Zero Waste for its annual 5K events. Happy Planet Running and Zero Waste Washtenaw were happy to step up to help. How well did we succeed, given some nasty weather and so many runners? Really well! See below.
Tag Archives: running
A Green Race Indeed! Shamrocks & Shenanigans 5K Sustainability Report
A big, fast race on a cold day downtown, and two volunteers had to manage the entire Zero Waste effort. It would be hard to beat last year’s 96.7 percent landfill diversion with under six pounds of trash. Would they be flying it, or would it be a scundered bollox job? See below!
Recyclable Cups? A New Hope
Runners love their coffee, and during races they need water and other hydration drinks. The most popular method for delivering the drinks continues to be paper cups. And why not? They’re inexpensive, lightweight, and do their job well. And they’re often provided free to races by sponsors such as Absopure. But the standard cup isContinue reading “Recyclable Cups? A New Hope”
Could You Cover Your Glass, Please? Super 5K Sustainability Report
A snowy Sunday morning in Michigan, but over 1,000 runners came out to get in a 5K before the Big Game. And all of them would want to grab hot dogs, cookies, pint glasses and awards, and be on their way soon afterward. In past years the rush has been very challenging for the ZeroContinue reading “Could You Cover Your Glass, Please? Super 5K Sustainability Report”
Brrr! Holiday Hustle Sustainability Report
It was Holiday Hustle time in Dexter, where several thousand diehard runners showed up, hustled their way through a mile or three, and then hustled out of there. And supporting them was over a hundred diehard staff and volunteers determined to help them enjoy the experience. The Zero Waste team was fired up to finishContinue reading “Brrr! Holiday Hustle Sustainability Report”
Cold Turkey, Hot Chocolate, Zero Waste
A cold, blustery morning didn’t stop thousands of people from packing downtown Ann Arbor for the annual Turkey Trot. With a hot chocolate and coffee station for the runners, we promised to be awash in cups, as well as bananas, cookies, and cardboard from all the boxes. We learned last year that making the raceContinue reading “Cold Turkey, Hot Chocolate, Zero Waste”
Worth Gobbling About! A2 Turkey Trot Sustainability Report
Baby, it was cold outside! But due to their dedication to the great sport of running, hundreds of people came out to run at Hudson Mills anyway. Or maybe it was the Ray’s Red Hots, hot chocolate and pumpkin pie. Either way, the Zero Waste team had a job to do. How’d we manage? SmoothContinue reading “Worth Gobbling About! A2 Turkey Trot Sustainability Report”
Sweet Success! Hot Cocoa Classic Sustainability Report
How do you get several hundred people to show up on a cold, gray morning and climb a steep hill to begin a run? Promise them hot chocolate afterward! With a lot of food and drink being consumed in a short time, could the Zero Waste effort keep up? With a good process and thoughtfulContinue reading “Sweet Success! Hot Cocoa Classic Sustainability Report”
Slam that Cider! Scrumpy Skedaddle 2017 Zero Waste Report
A perfect fall morning, a run through an apple orchard, pancakes, and the best draft hard cider on the planet. That’s as good as it gets, folks. And this year, over 2,000 people showed up at Almar Orchards in Flushing to run, eat, and imbibe. The Scrumpy Skedaddle is a great race, but last yearContinue reading “Slam that Cider! Scrumpy Skedaddle 2017 Zero Waste Report”
Can You Recycle Race Bibs? Yes! (Updated)
UPDATE March 2020: It appears that DuPont no longer supports recycling of Tyvek race bibs. At this time the only race bib recycling option I can find is to use a Sporting Goods Zero Waste Box from TerraCycle. You can find it on their website at this link. They are also sold through some third-partyContinue reading “Can You Recycle Race Bibs? Yes! (Updated)”
Happy Planet Running 