GOING GREEN

The Big Sur International Marathon takes place on coastal Highway One which showcases one of the most scenic and pristine stretches of coastline in the country. 

We welcome runners and walkers to join us in April for a chance to run or walk along the "ragged edge of the western world."  Because our organization understands the importance and urgency of developing ecologically and environmentally sound practices surrounding our events, we are taking steps to increase our environmental sustainability.  Our events impact the surrounding Monterey Peninsula communities and our efforts to "reduce, re-use, and recycle" go a long way towards keeping our destination cities both "green and pristine."

The Big Sur International Marathon is seeking certification for both our Half Marathon and Marathon events from the Council for Responsible Sport (ReSport).

The Council for Responsible Sport's certification program provides an independent, comprehensive validation of the Big Sur International Marathon's environmental and sustainability initiatives.  ReSport has a set of guidelines and categories that will allow us to merge environmental responsibility into event operation.  The five certification categories include Waste, Climate, Materials & Equipment, Community & Outreach, and Health Promotion.  One credit is awarded for each standard met, and three additional credits are available for innovative practices not included in the standard.  Learn more about ReSport's certification process by clicking HERE.

Below are some of the measures taken to divert waste, in turn saving us money by reducing hauling costs and disposal fees:

• Recycling bottles, cans, plastic and cardboard
• Composting food waste, including utensils, plates, and clear cups
• Diverting wooden pallets for reuse
• Donating leftover food
• Donating abandoned clothing for reuse
• Encouraging participants, especially our walkers, to take part in our "BYOB" program which reduces the number of paper cups used on the course

Other environmental choices with a positive impact include:

• Product selection, such as the purchase of compostable plates, cups, and utensils
• Choosing biodegradable toilet paper for use in porta-potties
• Using a triple green certified printing company for all printed materials
• Going paperless when possible - 99.8% of registration is done online
• Using solar power at the finish
• Offering a "Virtual Goody Bag" in lieu of the traditional goody bag stuffed with thousands of pieces of paper, much of which gets tossed in the trash
• Renting/borrowing tents, fencing, vehicles (re-using, rather than purchasing)
• Reducing our carbon footprint by encouraging participants to come to the event via "Pickup Pal," a free carpooling service.

Please consider helping us offset our carbon footprint by giving a donation at the time you register for a Big Sur Marathon or Half Marathon event.  The money collected will be used to purchase green tags to offset the carbon emissions created by travel to the event, shuttles to the start, and energy used during the events.  Your financial support will go a long way in helping with this and we thank you in advance for your consideration.

In 2010 our goal is to divert over 50% of the waste generated by our events.  To do this we will be offering pre-event education and training to our volunteers and to our Expo vendors.  We are hoping to reduce the amount of wasted paper literature by offering a "virtual goodie bag" and onsite "goodie booth" to our participants.  We are also hoping to implement the use of solar panels at our start and finish for our major electrical source.  By the end of 2009 we are hoping to have achieved a Green Sport Certification.

BYOB stands for "Bring Your Own Bottle" and represents an effort on the part of race organizers to reduce the usage of paper cups at aid stations.  If you wish to participate, you can carry one or more bottles that can be refilled at the BYOB stations on the course.

While not mandatory for runners, BYOB is a great alternative for those out there to enjoy the beauty of the course.  We strongly encourage all walkers to participate in BYOB.