CHARLOTTE — From the ways runners can arrive, to the water they drink to the T-shirt they can proudly wear at the end of the race, Brian Mister, Around the Crown’s race director, has planned the event around sustainability.
“Runners just don’t even notice it,” he said. “It’s just a normal piece of the race now.”
He’s a part of the Low Impact Alliance, a coalition of race directors, companies and others in the running industry working to reduce the carbon footprint of the sport.
To him, the goal is intuitive. If you enjoy being outside, whether you’re running on city streets or trails and breathing the city’s air, it makes sense to want to keep it clean.
“That’s kind of maybe that first touchpoint, and it builds from there,” he said.
Around the Crown’s sustainability efforts start with reducing waste. The reusable cups and the bibs runners wear at water stops are half the size of your typical race bib.
“We use half the amount of paper that we used to use,” Mister said.
Then there are the T-shirts. They’re made from 100% recycled materials by a North Carolina company, Recover Brands.
Mister said the bags given out at the expo were reusable and made of recycled materials, too.
As for how runners arrive, Mister encourages them to choose options outside of simply driving yourself. The race offers a bike valet, and Charlotte Area Transit System rides are free on race day to anyone wearing a bib.
The race’s beneficiary this year, Sustain Charlotte, hopes these choices make an impression beyond race day. Meg Fencil, the director of engagement and impact, explained the nonprofit sees runners as potential allies, because they know what it means to have clean, safe streets and side walks.
“When people get to experience their city in a different way, it often encourages them to kind of think outside the box,” she said. “So where could I run or walk in my own neighborhood? What could I do to maybe advocate for safer streets, or explore a new greenway, or a new neighborhood walking or running route?”