Environmental Leaders Running to Keep California Beautiful:
“Only Your Feet Hit the Ground” Campaign Raises Awareness and Action
Keep California Beautiful (KCB) today is announcing its 2009 “Only Your Feet Hit the Ground” campaign; which will support the litter reduction and recycling efforts of the Carlsbad Marathon and Half Marathon, to be held Sunday, January 25, 2009.
More than 12,000 runners and walkers from all over the US and many foreign countries are expected to participate in the race weekend festivities. The 26.2 and 13.1-mile courses feature spectacular views, traveling through Carlsbad Village, along historic Pacific Coast Highway, past the Carlsbad State Beach, South Carlsbad State Beach and picturesque lagoons.
The “Only Your Feet Hit the Ground” campaign is a “positive reward” program encouraging event participants to be personally responsible for managing their trash and recyclables along the course while working to achieve their own personal best time.. "It's a noble endeavor to test the limits of mind and body in pursuit of the greater good," said California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Mike Chrisman. "To be able to focus that effort on protecting California's precious natural resources will return benefits for this generation and generations to come."
The nearly 2,000 volunteers for the race could never actually get all the litter picked up the day of the race if every runner and spectator littered the course with discarded food, gel wrappers, water cups or drink containers and clothing. Each event participant who signs the “Eco-Runner Pledge” has their bib number entered into a lottery for donated prizes that can be picked up after the finish line at the KCB Eco-runner Booth. Additionally, KCB volunteers along the course will be noting bib numbers of individuals, going the extra mile to be personally responsible. Those bib numbers will be entered into a separate drawing for the grand prize.
KCB was awarded a $10,000 Waste Management’s Think Green® Community Improvement Grant for its work with this event. California State Parks and the Parks Foundation, Running Center, Asics, and Atayne, as sponsors of the 2009 KCB “Only Your Feet Hit the Ground” campaign, along with Waste Management; have already committed to donate over $6,000 worth of merchandise and gift cards for the project.
The 2008 Carlsbad Marathon was the first special event held under the new requirements of the San Diego Regional Water Quality Board established by order no R9-2007-0001 on January 24, 2007. KCB and In Motion, the event organizers, established the “Only Your Feet Hit the Ground” campaign as part the litter abatement portion of the storm water pollution prevention plan. The inaugural program developed by KCB was highly successful, with nearly 800 of the 10,000 runners signing the Eco Runner Pledge before the race. The implementation of the overall litter abatement plan included well-staffed aid stations, trash and recycling receptacles every half mile along the course, temporary covering of storm drains, and spectators helping collect trash and recyclables.
The enormously successful and well-executed plan resulted in only three 30 gallon bags of clothing and one 30 gallon bag of trash collected during the final sweep of the course. Last year the race diverted over 57% of the overall waste generated. This year KCB will be working with the event organizers to help improve the recycling plan and increase a wide range of source reduction efforts at the event to improve on last years’ efforts including: special clothing drops along the course, additional recycling receptacles, new signage, and a goal to double the number of participants who sign the pledge. As part of greening the event and supporting the community, the organizers encourage car-pooling and host a Retired Shoe Drive to collect and donate shoes and T-shirts to local organizations, who in turn give them a second life. The event has set a goal of collecting 10,000 pairs for this year.
Several organizations are sponsoring a diverse group of individuals to run or walk as Eco-Runner Challenge Champions; raising awareness about litter and its relation to marine debris, positive actions to reduce its impacts, and funds for KCB programs. Eco-Runner Challenge Champions include: Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, sponsored by Friends of the LA River; Mark Murray, Executive Director of Californians Against Waste sponsored by KCB; Sam Huber, Eco-Runner sponsored by KCB; Nicholas Ewing, Professor CSUS, sponsored by American River Parkway Foundation; Jason Rose, General Manager, Waste Management San Diego/Orange County sponsored by Waste Management; and Debbie Anthony and Laura Anthony; sponsored by Rick Anthony Associates.
“We are so thrilled to have these Eco-Runners and Walkers "stepping out" to help preserve and protect our beautiful state and to support Keep California Beautiful,” said Kris McNamara, President of the KCB Board of Directors. There are an additional 52 race participants who have signed up to raise funds for KCB as participants of the event. KCB has set a goal of raising $25,000 through this event to support its programs.
