Sustainability
With its roots in trail running, Run Jersey Events has always believed that we should leave nothing behind, but our footprints. Our mission now is simple, to hold an event that leaves no carbon footprints on our planet.
As a race organiser, Run Jersey Events has a responsibility to ensure that we minimise our impact by reducing, reusing and recycling wherever possible. To that end, we endeavour to reuse flags and banners and even cable ties are removed carefully, so that they last for a few years
As runners, you have supported our efforts, the using of the coach to the start and the removal of plastic water bottles, but this is not enough.
With a field of 600 we are responsible for around 23,500kg of CO2 emissions, as a minimum, and as the race is now in its 34 year it has a large footprint. This is a shared responsibility and as race organisers we will continue to reduce our impact, Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management supports our aim, and we would ask that you also join us in minimising our footprint on this fragile planet.
What are we doing?
Waste & Water - In previous years we have disposed of approximately 3000 plastic bottles in a single event. Often runners take a sip and then drop the bottle, we all know that one! Waste does not always get separated or reach the right recycling bins. We have made improvement over the years but have never quite solved the water and waste problem. From 2023, we will separate waste from water station and finish area so that we do not contaminate the recycling.
We will also be looking at the issue of race numbers as they are simply not recyclable. Leave that one for us to ponder on.
There is a trend to use plant-based cups as they are compostable, but this is not wholly accurate, as they can only be composted in an approved aerobic composting site; there are few sites in the UK and Jersey is not one of them. So sadly, plant based and wax lined paper cups end up being incinerated, with some energy return. We are in conversations with a National Cup recycling scheme to see if we can ensure that our paper cups are recycled.
Seaweed pods are still being considered but the front runner will be the Jersey Water bulk containers. The final solution might be a blended approach, but it would be an achievement if we could hold our 2023 event without using a single plastic bottle and all cups being recycled! Why not carry your own hydration and fill up at water station.
Trees & Tees - We are teaming up with a leading UK supplier of sustainable technical shirts and so will now be able to offer a t-shirt that is made from approximately 5 recycled plastic bottles. A small number, when one considers that around a million plastic bottles are bought every minute, but together we will contribute to the 20 billion bottles that their fabric supplier has already recycled. Scimitar as a company is committed to reducing their footprint and you can be reassured, as they have now reached the holy grail of carbon negative.
Your t-shirt drawer may be overflowing, and you might feel that however beautiful our recycled tech t-shirt, it just will not squeeze in. You may prefer to go down the Trees Not Tees route and become the proud owner of your own native tree (birch, oak, rowan and alder) in a certified planting scheme in the UK. Once planted you will receive a certificate via email with a picture of your young tree, details of the species of tree planted and a geo-location address on what3words. If 10% of runners chose this option and bought a tree, we would see 60 trees being planted . 2023 saw 139 runners receiving a Tree not a Tee .
Mail & Medals - As always updates will be kept to this website, email and Facebook. Our partnership with RaceNation as our primary registration site will allow runners to benefit from the RaceNation app which will allow up to date notifications, even on race day! This means no paper.
We moved to wooden medals in 2022, and in 2023 trophies moved to being created out of waste slate.
This is still not enough and so we in 2023 we purchased additional Trees to bring the planting total to 408. From 2024 you will be able to purchase additional trees at registration.
2024 will see a new option at registration - Run Green - Runners who have selected the Tree not Tee option can choose to go further and Run Green . Runners will not collect a finisher's medal. Run Green runners will wear a distinctive Run Green race number and be eligible for a Run Green award - Fastest Green Male and fastest Green Female.
What can you do?
Off island - With around 20% of runners coming from UK and beyond, as a race we welcome this commitment and support but it comes with a cost of over 16,000kg CO2 from off island travel alone. We would ask that you consider offsetting your carbon footprint on these longer journeys and consider some of the following options:
Blue Islands make it very easy as they automatically offset when you book as they have a partnership with the Durrell Rewild scheme.
An alternative would be to download the Ports of Jersey Carbon Pass app onto your mobile device and offset airline or sea travel.
We estimate that if 25% of the overseas runners managed this a further 4000kg CO2 could be offset.
On island- With the increased use of our coach transfer and encouraging car sharing we could reduce local emissions. We will be using Facebook nearer the race date to start a car share thread. The ultimate would be to use your feet or pedal, but you have got to save some steam for the race itself!
What does this mean?
Simply put, this would mean that the Canaccord Jersey Half Marathon could rapidly remove the imprint it is leaving, as the above changes could offset a minimum of 30,000kg CO2, achieving carbon negativity. This does not take into account the benefits that would be achieved in terms of improvements in waste management, reduction in plastic usage through use of recycled t-shirts and the list goes on.
What we ask is that you share this story as it unfolds and become a part of it, we will share the successes. We will continue to review and after race day we will start to calculate the benefits, and this will grow organically.
We need you to talk about these issues and ask other event organisers what commitments they are making to reduce their carbon footprint. We would always be willing to share ideas and stories.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
#cando
