Reduce, reuse, recycle

Part of Rhode Races & Events core mission is to minimize our races impact on the environment. When we started this company, this was a goal of ours from the onset. We recognize how much trash and waste is produced at a race and we spent a great deal of time in the off-season looking for ways to reduce that. We feel we have made some great changes this year that will allow us to have less than half the waste than in previous years. Here are some changes for this year:

On course water – we have switched from 6 1-gallon containers in a cardboard box to 5 gal returnable bottles for zero waste. Thank you to our sponsor – Polar Beverages!

Finish line water – we have partnered with Essentia as a sponsor and they will provide only the water that we consume. They will be taking any excess water with them to be used elsewhere. Additionally, we will have plastic recycling bins throughout the post-race area for recycling of those water bottles.

Space Blankets – thanks to HeatSheets, we can recycle all the space blankets and they will be turned into outdoor decking! So cool.

Discarded clothing – we will be collecting all the clothing that is discarded at the start of the race and donating it to the North American Family Institute. These clothes will go to local children in need.

Starting at our Bristol race – we will be switching our on-course energy drink to Nuun. Not only is Nuun a better electrolyte replacement than what we currently use, but it is also non-GMO and plant-based. Finally – Nuun is mixed with the Polar water in reusable coolers and served in compostable cups. This will reduce our on-course waste to practically zero!

We are still looking for a better solution for those gel packets! We love Boom’s all-fruit formula but no one has really found a way to deliver that gel in an environmentally friendly manner.

BUT – we still need your help! Please look for the recycling bins around the race festival area and dispose of your plastic bottles, heatsheets, and other recyclable materials properly.

THANKS!

Running a Marathon is Hard. Recycling Is Easy.

Rhode Races & Events is committed to recycling at this year’s Providence Marathon. Road Races create a lot of waste, but we’ll reduce our footprint by diverting hundreds of pounds of cardboard boxes, water jugs, and plastic bottles from the landfill.

Look for recycling bins next to each trash bin on race day. It will be a team effort, so before disposing of your waste, take a moment to ensure you are using the correct bin. Thanks for joining our efforts to make this event more environmentally friendly.

Common Road Race Waste Items

Plastic Bottles – recycling bin.

Plastic Cups – recycling bin. Trash the straw.

Paper and Styrofoam Coffee Cups – trash bin.

Banana Peels and Pizza Crusts – trash bin.

Paper Plates and Napkins – trash bin.

Cliff Bar, Gu, and food wrappers – trash bin.

Plastic Bags – trash bin.

General Recycling Guidelines

Recyclable Items. plastic jugs and bottles, plastic cups (w/out straws), other plastic containers, aluminum cans, glass bottles and jars, paper, cardboard, juice boxes, and cartons.

Non-recyclable Items. food wrappers, food, plastic bags and cling wrap, paper, and Styrofoam coffee cups, straws, napkins and paper towels, disposable plates, and greasy cardboard.

*If you are not sure whether an item is recyclable, please dispose of it in the trash.