Green Turns into Silver at Ohio’s Air Force Marathon

The growing race earns silver level certification from the Council for Responsible Sport for social and environmental responsibility

The 2019 Air Force Marathon has officially achieved silver level responsible sport certification, the Council for Responsible Sport (Council) announced. Held September 19-21, 2019 in Dayton, Ohio, the weekend of events consisted of a marathon, half marathon, 10k, 5k, and 1k kids races that served as an avenue for affecting environmental action in the greater Dayton community.

Hosting over 12,000 participants this year, the Air Force Marathon is now one of five certified responsible events in Ohio out of over 170 total certified events worldwide. By committing to incorporating tactics to prevent and divert waste, water conservation strategies, and carbon offsetting initiatives, the event organizers have set a new precedent for sustainable sporting events in the Dayton community.

Brandon Hough, Air Force Marathon director said, “We are extremely excited to achieve this status and to work with the Council for Responsible Sport in obtaining a more environmentally friendly event. We’ve worked hard to educate ourselves, and in turn educate those on our base and in our community, to make a positive impact on our environment. We are looking forward to using what we have learned and building upon it to continue creating a cleaner environment and a more unified community as the Air Force Marathon.”

As part of the certification, event organizers created and launched a three-year plan to minimize the environmental harm resulting from event operations while communicating positive messages to attendees through their environmental and community efforts. Organizers made good on their promise of prioritizing waste reduction throughout the event by extensively advertising compost and recycling bins, tracking the climate-changing greenhouse emissions of the event, and promoting emissions reduction initiatives to attendees.

Event organizers earned credit for implementing 36 of the best practices recommended in the Council’s Responsible Sport Standards (version 4.2) across five categories for social and environmental responsibility: planning and communications, procurement, resource management, access and equity, and community legacy. The two-year certification was awarded based on written documentation of efforts, the submission of plans, policies, and results, plus interviews with organizers and an on-site assessment of the event from an independent, third-party evaluator.

Social and environmental highlights from the race weekend that earned credit towards certification include:

• Developed guidelines for decreasing the event’s environmental footprint, including waste reduction and water conservation scheme

• Developed a formal 3-year plan to improve event’s impact on and involvement with local community

• Worked with HighTech Signs to source 100 percent post-consumer recycled material for printed event signage

• Utilized ‘Water Monsters’ to serve in bulk, replacing single-use plastic water bottles.

• Partnered with a local company, GoZero, to incorporate compost bins alongside landfill and recycling bins for the first time

• Provided drop off locations for used shoe donations for the international water purification nonprofit, WaterStep

• Provided a mobility clinic for differently-abled athletes facilitated by a Paralympian gold medalist

• Worked with local company, Green Speed, to provide compostable service wares for vendors

• An educational space at the Expo to help teach the attendees about the impacts of pro-environmental waste disposal as well as local river clean up in the Miami Valley

• Partnered with local transit authority to provide event bussing and subsidized transit to event participants

• Donated leftover unserved food to local organization, USO, as part of a food drive

• Began work on a multi-year legacy project to improve a shared running trail on the Wright-Patterson Airforce Base with lighting, a water fountain, restrooms and trail maintenance

“The Council was impressed by the intentionality the Air Force Marathon organizing team brought to the certification effort” said Shelley Villalobos, managing director of the Council. “The event demonstrated a genuine willingness to rethink operations and decision-making with an eye for the broader implications of those decisions and a desire to improve. They were ambitious and deserve recognition for this well-earned certification.”

About the Air Force Marathon

The Air Force Marathon takes place every year, the third Saturday of September. Our weekend events include an expo, a pasta dinner, a breakfast and a Tailwind Trot 1K Kids’

Run, 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, Full Marathon and Challenge series. We are hosted at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. Each year we have a featured aircraft with a military flyover. We are where perseverance and pride take flight! www.usafmarathon.com

TD Beach to Beacon 2019 Road Race Achieves Prestigious “Evergreen” Level Certification

CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine (October 22, 2019) – The TD Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race’s commitment to sustainability was recognized once again with Evergreen Certification by the Council for Responsible Sport.

In a letter to race organizers, Shelley Villalobos, Managing Director at the Council for Responsible Sport, noted that in 2019, the TD Beach to Beacon 10K implemented 95 percent of the entire set of standards considered for Evergreen Certification, which she called “incredibly impressive and not easy to do.”

Race founder and running icon Joan Benoit Samuelson, a Maine native and 1984 Olympic gold medalist, said, “This is the second time the TD Beach to Beacon 10K has achieved Evergreen Certification and we are part of a very elite and select group of athletic events that have achieved Evergreen status.” Samuelson added,

“The responsibility for being good stewards of our planet belongs to everyone. All of us who are involved with the TD Beach to Beacon 10K are fully committed to doing our part in the effort.” -Joan Benoit Samuelson, Olympic gold medalist and race founder

With the help of Bruce Rayner, Founder and Chief Greening Officer of Athletes for a Fit Planet, the TD Beach to Beacon 10K first attained Evergreen Certification following the 2016 race, by completing a rigorous review of the environmental and social sustainability programs in place at the race, ranging from comprehensive recycling, measuring and reducing carbon emissions, raising money for charities, and building a positive legacy in the community. Rayner led the charge to complete the process for the 2109 certification as well.

A green team volunteer helps sort items at a recycling station at the 2019 TD Beach to Beacon race in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The event diverted 77% of its waste from the landfill in 2019.

The TD Beach to Beacon 10K is one of only seven mass-participation events to achieve Evergreen Certification from the Council for Responsible Sport, and the first major road race in North America to achieve the top status. (A small road race in La Jolla, Calif., achieved the honor in 2009, but is no longer certified.) The TD Beach to Beacon 10K achieved Silver Certification in 2012 and Gold Certification in 2014 before achieving the highest Evergreen level in 2016. The certification is valid for two years.

The Council for Responsible Sport is an Oregon-based nonprofit, founded in 2007, that provides objective, independent verification of the socially and environmentally responsible work event organizers are performing nationwide. The process is meticulous; event organizers are required to provide detailed measurement and documentation of sustainability efforts and outcomes.

“This renewal of Evergreen status, and the improvements made to an already-strong sustainability program by the TD Beach to Beacon 10K represent world-class integrity in sustainable event design and production, which touches nearly every aspect of the event itself. The entire community that hosts and supports this race has a lot to be proud of." said Shelley Villalobos, managing director of the Council for Responsible Sport.

Highlights that were incorporated into the 2019 TD Beach to Beacon 10K that helped earn Evergreen Certification included:

• Recycled and composted waste at the start and finish and at the volunteer and VIP dinners, for a combined total waste diversion rate of 77%.

• Recycled old running shoes through Nike’s Reuse-a-Shoe program, providing new life for the materials in such things as playgrounds, basketball courts and running tracks.

• Partnered with the Bicycle Coalition of Maine to provide runners, volunteers and spectators with free and secure bike valet parking at Fort Williams. This year, 310 runners, volunteers and spectators used the service, up nearly 50% from 2018.

• Collected a record 4,607 redeemable bottles and cans at the finish in a partnership with redemption service provider CLYNK. The proceeds totaled $387.50, that was donated to The Telling Room, this year’s TD Beach to Beacon 10K charity.

• Offset the carbon emissions of operations vehicles and generators used for the race.

• Runner and volunteer shirts are made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic

• Eliminated latex balloons from the start line and on the course and replaced them with banners made of used sails by a local company called SeaBags.
  

To learn more about TD Beach to Beacon 10K’s sustainability measures, visit https://www.beach2beacon.org/about/greening-b2b/

The TD Beach to Beacon 10K, which took place August 3, draws runners from throughout the region and the world to picturesque Cape Elizabeth, ME. The race begins near the Crescent Beach State Park entrance on Route 77, winds along tree-lined streets, past breathtaking ocean vistas, and ends in Fort Williams Park at the historic Portland Head Light, the most photographed lighthouse in the world.

More than $90,000 in prize money was awarded to the top finishers and place winners in the various categories for men and women, and a separate $30,000 donation is provided each year by the TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, to a selected local charity. The Telling Room was the 2019 race beneficiary.

For additional information about the race, visit www.beach2beacon.org, and find the TD Beach to Beacon on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About the TD Charitable Foundation

The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank ®, one of the 10 largest commercial banking organizations in the United States. Since its inception in 2002, the Foundation has distributed over $199 million and more than 19,400 grants through donations to local nonprofits from Maine to Florida. More information on the TD Charitable Foundation, including the online grant application, is available at TDBank.com.

About TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank ®

TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 9 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,200 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In management services through TD Wealth ®, and vehicle financing and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit www.tdbank.com. Find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDBank and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US.

TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of the Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol “TD”. To learn more, visit www.td.com.

Endurance Events Commit to United Nations “Sports for Climate Action Initiative,” Council for Responsible Sport Encourages All to Join

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon, one of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, is among the first mass participation events to sign declaration of commitment alongside the Council for Responsible Sport campaign, dubbed #getoffthesidelines.

EUGENE (June 19, 2019) – The Council for Responsible Sport announced today that the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, the Sacramento Running Association, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run, the U.S. Marine Corps Marathon, Rhode Races, and Grandma’s Marathon have become early signatories to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) “Sports for Climate Action Initiative.”

The “Sports for Climate Action Initiative” invites sport event hosts to declare their recognition of “the critical need for cities, regions, companies and investors from around the globe to help implement the Paris Climate Agreement and accelerate the transformative change needed to reach greenhouse gas (GHG) emission neutrality in the second half of the twenty-first century.” It offers five principles to guide forward action that leverages the global popularity of sport to help make a real difference in the battle against climate change, as well as help minimize the environmental footprint of sporting events.

The commitments announced today represent events that host over 100,000 participants and more than a million onlookers annually, with the Bank of America Chicago Marathon being one of the six Abbott World Marathon Majors and one of the largest participatory sport gatherings in the U.S.-- with over 40,000 participants during an October weekend in Chicago each year.

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon has utilized the standards set forth by the Council for Responsible Sport to develop and improve performance on social and environmental impacts over the past decade, beginning with its first certification in 2010 and culminating with it becoming the first marathon to earn the highest level, Evergreen certification in 2016, a status it maintains today.

“Best practices in sustainability have been a part of our operational culture for the last decade, and we are proud to be one of the first mass participatory sporting events to support the Sports for Climate Action initiative,” said Carey Pinkowski, executive race director. “The Bank of America Chicago Marathon has been at the forefront of the industry when it comes to environmental stewardship, social responsibility and community engagement. We are proud of the legacy we continue to build, and we are thrilled to join a global movement that deepens our commitment to sustainability. We strongly believe that the power of sport can create positive changes beyond the finish line.”  

The Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile run, held each spring in Washington, D.C., first earned responsible sport certification at the silver level in 2011. It leveled up to gold in 2015, and has maintained that high level of performance. Event director Phil Stewart commented, "the organizers of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile have been committed to creating a more sustainable event for the last five years. The logical next step in ensuring the future of our planet is to support and join the United National Sports for Climate Action initiative."

Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run. Washington, D.C. (Photo credit: George Banker)

Sacramento Running Association, host of the California International Marathon, which earned gold level certification in 2017 and will seek renewal in 2019, signed the declaration. “The Sacramento Running Association is proud to be a signatory of the Sports for Climate Action Framework. California leads the nation on environmental issues, and as one of its capital city's signature sport organizations we believe it's important for us to lead the way on sustainability in sporting events. We believe in sports' promise to be a force for good in the world, and by signing onto this framework the SRA is committing to help fulfill that promise.” said Eli Asch, Race Director of the California International Marathon.

This year, the U.S. Marine Corps Marathon in Arlington, Virginia will seek to renew its certification first gained in 2010 and is committed to the declaration. “The Marine Corps Marathon Organization is proud to encourage athletes for a healthier lifestyle and a healthier world. An approach to climate change is similar to training for a marathon, the actions and will to change inside of us positively affects the outcome of many. As runners we take care of our bodies, and as people we take care of each other and the world. Running connects us to nature and every step is one towards a better future.” said Angela Anderson, Deputy Race Director.

Rhode Races hosts more than a dozen events in Rhode Island annually, including the Newport and Providence Marathons. Co-owner Susan Rancourt said of becoming a signatory, “As more than just race directors--as mothers, sisters, aunts and friends-- it is our compelling duty to leave this planet in a better place for our children and their children. We can take small steps in our own business practices and communication to help advocate change on a greater scale.”

"Living directly adjacent to the largest body of fresh water in the world (Lake Superior), we at Grandma's Marathon see it as imperative to become better stewards of our natural resources.” Said Shane Bauer, executive director of Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota, of why the organization is opting to make the declaration and adhere to its principles. “Regardless of where people live, everyone should be doing everything they can, wherever they are. When awareness that drives action becomes normal, I think we’ll see great signs of progress towards a safer, more sustainable world.” 

All Sport Event Hosting Organizations Encouraged to Sign On

The Council for Responsible Sport is collaborating with the United Nations Global Climate Action program to collect signatories and facilitate collaboration amongst those organizations committed to the principles of the declaration.

Manager of the United Nations Global Climate Action Program, Niclas Svenningsen, said “Climate change is a defining issue of our time. We are no longer talking about leaving the world a better place for our children, and are already experiencing initial climate effects such as extreme weather events, year-on-year record heat waves and an increasing number of climate refugees. The endurance events sector is one of many that is already being impacted to varying degrees. I am therefore very happy to see that there is now a movement spearheaded by the Council for Responsible Sport to harness the power of the more than 17,000 endurance events taking place annually in the USA alone, to take action and encourage a more responsible and participatory approach to meeting the climate crisis.”

“The Council is thrilled that this work is advancing to the highest levels of international governance,” said chairperson of the Council, Michele Grossman. "Since 2014, when it became mandatory for events pursuing Council certification to track their carbon footprint, we have analyzed greenhouse gas reports from over 50 events," said chairperson of the Council, Michele Grossman.

"The vast majority of emissions from endurance events are from participants' travel. We’re excited to recognize events that find ways to decrease and mitigate their emissions, such as how the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run makes it easy for participants to offset their carbon footprint during the registration process.”

The “Sports for Climate Action Initiative” was launched in Bonn, Germany in December 2018. Other signatories to join since the program launched in December 2018 include the International Olympic Committee, FIFA, the National Basketball Association (NBA), the World Surf League (WSL) and the New York Yankees.

The most recent International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report warns that globally, humanity has about 12 years to act decisively to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions causing the overall warming trend and destabilizing Earth’s climate system, and that failure to do so will result in ecological and societal effects becoming more and more dire.

About the Council for Responsible Sport

The Council’s vision is a world where responsibly produced sports events are the norm and its mission is to provide objective, independent verification of the socially and environmentally responsible work event organizers are doing and to actively support event organizers who strive to make a difference in their communities. The current version of the Council’s Certification standards (v.4.2) was developed by an outside working group of both sustainability and sport industry experts, reviewed by a wide range of stakeholders throughout 2013 and implemented in January 2014. In 2019, the Council is working to help sport hosting organizations #getoffthesidelines and take climate action, starting by signing onto the “Sports for Climate Action Initiative” declaration of commitment. www.CouncilforResponsibleSport.org

Don’t Miss the Plogging Bandwagon

By Keith Peters

Back in the day, when Conley Sports was producing the Austin Marathon, and Michelle Sandquist was their “green queen,” the Conley Sports crew held regularly scheduled “trash runs” along the marathon course. The objective was to systematically pick up litter along sections of the marathon route throughout the year.

These days, the global term for trash runs is plogging, a mash-up of jogging and the Swedish term for picking up litter—plocka upp. Thanks to Swede Erik Ahlstrom, plogging became a thing in Sweden in 2016, following growing concern about plastic pollution. The term, and the event concept, quickly spread to other countries and was a PBS NewsHour feature last November.

Call it what you will, there’s no denying the fact that picking up trash along our favorite running loops is an activity that has both environmental and community goodwill benefits—especially if one takes the time to recycle or compost as much of what was gathered as possible. And it’s very popular. There are almost 42,000 posts on Instagram hashtagged #plogging, not to mention countless location-based hashtags like #ploggingusa, #ploggingukraine, etc. A quick search will also turn up numerous country- or city-specific Instagram accounts like @ploggingnorway, @ploggingnyc and @plogginglondon.

Not to be outdone by Instagram, there’s a lot of hubbub about plogging on Facebook as well. Ultrarunner and the American Trail Running Association’s Outreach & Partnership Specialist Peter Maksimow started the Facebook Group Pikes Peak Ploggers to clean up the area around Pikes Peak. Group members collect trash and recycling, post pictures to the group page, and can earn prizes like plogging bags, socks, shirts, etc. Maksimow’s is a small (35 members) but active and growing group, with an average of seven posts to the FB group page every day. Of course, there are umpteen other plogging pages and mentions on Facebook.

Peter Maksimow with trash collected during the Del Norte Trails Showcase

Community cleanup promoted by the Barr Trail Mountain Race

In researching this column, the closest I came to finding an organizational champion for plogging in the USA is Keep America Beautiful. And they’re definitely more of an advocate than organizer. In fact, I’d liken plogging to the Runner’s World fun runs in the late 1970s—very low-key and grassroots, free, and uncomplicated by worries about insurance and/or liability.

Of course, the grassroots activity of picking up litter isn’t new, nor is it unique to the running world. Perhaps, the granddaddy of all 21st century litter pick up campaigns is Litterati, an online community dedicated to identifying, mapping and collecting the world’s litter. With 2,350,136 (and counting) pieces of litter geotagged on its website since 2012, and nearly 22,000 followers of @litterati and 233,719 (and counting) pictures tagged #litterati on Instagram, there’s no denying the involvement and passion that an inspired campaign can generate.

Poke around online and see what you find. Don’t expect to find a plogging how-to manual via google search, but I’m pretty sure you’ll be inspired to go out and pick something up on your next run. Maybe you’ll even start a plogging group or event of your own. Please let me know if you do.

Keith Peters first organized running events for students at the University of Tennessee, Martin in 1978, and was involved in producing the Cascade Run Off from 1981-93. For the past 11 years, he has worked with scores of road races seeking verification of their efforts to become more sustainable. He is currently a board member of the Council for Responsible Sport. Working on this column has inspired him to be more diligent picking up litter while out on the streets and trails of Portland, Oregon. Look for proof @pdxpixbykp on Instagram.

Tampa Bay Local Organizing Committee Pursues First-Ever Sustainable Major Event Certification During 2019 NCAA​®​ Women’s Final Four​®

Tampa, Fla. (​February 5, 2019​) -- ​For the first time in Tampa Bay major event history, the Tampa Bay Local Organizing Committee (TBLOC), TECO Energy and Amalie Arena will team up during the 2019 NCAA​® Women’s Final Four​® in pursuit of the prestigious sustainable event certification, presented by the Council for Responsible Sport.

The Council for Responsible Sport is the world’s leading sustainable sports certification program, offering three core programs that help manage, measure and deliver purposeful events that go above and beyond the bottom line. The certification process recognizes efforts across five pillars of responsible sport; planning and communication, procurement, resource management, access and equity, and community legacy. To lead the efforts, a subcommittee consisting of community partners, local experts and sustainability thought leaders have been chosen to help guide the process and elevate Tampa Bay’s innovative green initiatives. The robust subcommittee consists of representatives from the following organizations: TECO Energy, Amalie Arena, Tampa Bay Sports Commission, City of Tampa, Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation, the University of South Florida Patel College of Sustainability, Strategic Property Partners, Tampa Convention Center, Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, Feeding Tampa Bay, Hilton Tampa Downtown, Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay, Westin Tampa Bay, Westin Tampa Waterside, Renaissance Tampa International Plaza, The Recycling Partnership, and Resource Recycling Systems.

"Sustainability applied to events is much more than recycling. The TBLOC and its partners are going through a robust process of putting systems and plans in place that are tailored to ensure accessibility to the event and ancillary activities, weigh the environmental impacts as part of purchasing decisions for good and services, engage and inspire local youth, and elevate local businesses to maximize positive local economic impact--and to have those efforts verified according to industry best practices put forth by the Council for Responsible Sport,” said Shelley Villalobos, Managing Director of the Council for Responsible Sport.

“We are incredibly grateful to our community partners at TECO Energy and Amalie Arena for helping us to invest in and elevate the sustainability efforts around the premier women’s championship,” said Claire Lessinger, Executive Director of the TBLOC. “The opportunity to team up with the Council for Responsible Sport further highlights the ongoing social impact and lasting legacy that the NCAA​® Women’s Final Four​® continues to have on the Tampa Bay community.”

Over the upcoming months, community partners will provide support and host events designed to achieve the TBLOC’s social and environmental goals. Notably, TECO Energy will provide renewable energy offsets, helping produce a carbon neutral championship at Amalie Arena on April 5 & 7, 2019.

“TECO Energy is excited to be part of the 2019 NCAA Women’s Final Four, supporting sustainability in Tampa,” said Sarah MacDonald, President of TECO Services, Inc. “Their efforts to be environmental stewards matches TECO’s efforts around sustainability as we focus on safely delivering cleaner, affordable and reliable energy to customers everywhere we operate. We have similar interests in building a strong community legacy and taking care of our resources; in fact, some of the six million solar panels we’re installing throughout Tampa will contribute to making the energy the Final Four uses carbon neutral. A community effort that leaves a lasting legacy? We wouldn’t want to miss being a part of that.”

About the Tampa Bay Sports Commission

The Tampa Bay Sports Commission (TBSC), host of the 2019 NCAA​® Women’s Final Four​®​, is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating social and economic impact through sports and entertainment in the Tampa Bay Area. As part of the championship efforts, the Tampa Bay Sports Commission provides local expertise, marketing and event management, and is responsible for raising the funds required to produce the Women’s Final Four and all supporting events. The 2019 NCAA​® Women’s Final Four​® will be held at Amalie Arena from April 5 -7. For more information on game tickets, please visit ​ncaa.com/womensfinalfour​. For more informationon event festivities, sponsorship, or volunteer opportunities, please visit ​wfftampabay.com​. For news and event information, follow the TBSC on Facebook, TwitterandInstagramorsubscribe to the #WFFTampaBay newsletter.