Cox Providence Rhode Races Succeeds in Becoming Eco-Friendly
Posted Wednesday, 20 May, 2009
Providence, RI – Marathon runners weren’t the only ones who set goals at the Cox Providence Rhode Races.
Eident Sports Marketing, organizers of the recently held Cox Providence Rhode Races, focused on making it an environmentally friendly event this year. The goal was to reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions. By partnering with Athletes for a FitPlanet, several eco-friendly practices were instituted, which resulted in the Cox Providence Rhode Races’ transformation into a green event.
“The total landfill per runner was under a half a pound, which is outstanding,” said Bruce Rayner, Founder and Chief Green Officer of Athletes for a FitPlanet, which supported the race’s efforts to reduce waste and carbon emissions.
• Nearly a half a ton of waste (976 lbs.) was diverted from the landfill by…
o Composting nearly 300 lbs. including all the wax-paper cups from the aid stations along the course and the food scraps at the finish of the race.
o Recycling nearly 700 lbs. of cardboard, plastic water bottles, and other recyclable material along the course and at the start/finish area.
• Runners purchased carbon offsets equivalent of two tons of carbon dioxide from Athletes for a Fit Planet (www.afitplanet.com). NativeEnergy (www.nativenergy.com) will contribute the money donated to support community-based projects that reduce carbon emissions.
• United Site Services provided eco-friendly portolets for athletes that contained no toxic chemicals.
• Runners were offered an online rideshare option from PickupPal http://www.pickuppal.com/pup/erp/EidentSports/RhodeRaces (www.pickuppal.com) to encourage carpooling as a way to reduce the carbon footprint of travel to and from the Cox Providence Rhode Races.
“The Cox Providence Rhode Races got off to a great start with its eco-friendly practices and yielded great results,” said Rayner. “It was a solid effort.”
Nearly 5,000 runners converged in downtown Providence, May 3 and participated in the 2009 Cox Providence Rhode Races. This unique event featured the Cox Sports Marathon, Willow Tree Half Marathon and a 5k race. Cox Communications is the Title Sponsor of the Cox Providence Rhode Races. Johnson & Wales University is the Premiere Sponsor. Charitable partners include Cox Charities New England and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Team.
About Athletes for a Fit Planet
FitPlanet is the leading provider of eco-services for running, triathlon, cycling, and walking events in the US. The company advises event organizers on cost-effective strategies, and products and services for reducing, recycling and composting waste, reducing and offsetting greenhouse gas emissions, and minimizing the impact of the event on the local environment. FitPlanet works with event sponsors to provide opportunities to communicate their own eco-initiatives to athletes by aligning with events that are going green.
The FitPlanet website provides athletes with environmental information and news, including a Green Events Directory, so they can make informed choices about what to buy and where to race. Visit: www.afitplanet.com or contact Bruce Rayner, Chief Green Officer, at bruce@afitplanet.com.
About Eident Sports Marketing
Eident Sports is a full-service event management and sports marketing company based in Providence, Rhode Island. Eident has several properties in the region, ranging from turn-key sporting events to sponsorship sales alliances with key partners. For more information on Eident’s events and offerings, please visit www.eidentsports.com
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