Running Towards Sustainability: Our Journey as Race Organisers
Running Towards Sustainability: Our Journey as Race Organisers
Welcome to our blog, where we're excited to share our commitment to sustainability as race organisers. In an era where environmental consciousness is essential, we believe it's crucial for us to play our part in minimising our ecological footprint.
Here's a glimpse into the initiatives we're implementing to make our races more sustainable:
1. Eco-Friendly Cups:
The world uses 500 billion plastic cups every year. But, at Nice Work, we've bid farewell to single-use plastic cups and embraced cups that are recyclable or have been recycled. We're keen to be in the vanguard of change and so will continue to seek alternative sustainable options and keep you updated. By providing participants with cups made from recycled materials or biodegradable options, we're significantly reducing the plastic waste generated during our events.
2. Water at Races:
We do not supply runners with individual bottles of water at our races which would end up littering the run route and Race HQ. Instead, we decant water from much larger bottles into cups or into the reusable cups and hydration vests that we encourage our runners to bring with them. It's important to note that we also adhere to England Athletics regulations regarding water supply.
3. Waste Streaming:
Implementing waste streaming systems allows us to sort and recycle materials efficiently. We’re ensuring that as much as possible is diverted from landfills and given a new life through recycling. Let's all be mindful of where we dispose of banana skins and used gel packets!
4. Paperless Race Instructions:
Gone are the days of printed race instructions that end up in the bin. Some time ago, we transitioned to digital platforms for all race communications, including race instructions, route maps, and race team schedules. Additionally, collecting race packs on the day helps save on envelopes, labels, printing, and cuts down on our reliance on the postal system, reducing our environmental impact.
5. Sustainable Merch:
Unused medals and t-shirts from previous races used to end up gathering dust in our store or being discarded. To combat this, we've introduced a system of reselling or donating unused t-shirts and recycling leftover medals. Additionally, a contribution of the proceeds will be made to our chosen charities. We also prioritise sourcing merchandise from suppliers committed to sustainable and ethical practices. We're proud to offer wooden medals made from European-sourced natural birch ply, which is FSC and PEFC certified. The raw material used for our eco-friendly wooden medals is an ecological and renewable material that stores carbon throughout its life cycle. This wood comes from ethically managed forests, where more trees are planted each year than are harvested. The excess material from the UK manufacturing process goes to power a biomass burner on a local farm, meaning that we have ZERO waste from the process.
6. Partner Collaboration:
We're working closely with our partners to encourage them to adopt sustainable practices. From sourcing eco-friendly materials for event delivery to promoting sustainable transportation options, we're committed to fostering a culture of sustainability throughout our network.
7. Runner Education:
Empowering our participants to make sustainable choices is integral to our mission. Through educational campaigns and resources, we encourage runners to consider their environmental impact and take steps to minimise it. Our race instructions include a 'Going Green' section, urging participants to bring their own camel packs or reusable cups, using public transport and considering car sharing.
8. Charity and Organisation Partnerships:
We are constantly on the lookout for charities and organisations offering sustainable initiatives and working towards environmental conservation. We will continue to maximise our positive impact at our events.
9. Prizes:
At the start of this year, we moved to including virtual prizes for age category runners at most of our events, reducing our carbon footprint both on transport and on the materials used to craft traditional trophies. In some races, we have sought to supply truly gorgeous, UK crafted wooden medals rather than the standard ones.
Our Commitment:
As race organisers, we recognize our responsibility to lead by example and drive positive change in the sporting community. By working towards embracing sustainability at every level of our operations, we're not only planning to reduce our environmental footprint but also to inspire others to join us on this journey towards a greener future.
Be assured, we will continue to innovate and explore new ways to make our races more sustainable, empowering runners to make a difference one step at a time. Stay tuned for updates on our new initiatives as we strive to make a greater impact.