All the News That’s Fit

Los Angeles, CA-based Live Earth has tapped FitPlanet to help green the first annual Dow Live Earth Run for Water, taking place around the world on April 18, 2010.

The event will be the largest global water initiative in history aimed at solving the world water crisis. The campaign focuses on the sources and impact of the water crisis locally, nationally and internationally and suggests actions individuals can take to effectively address the issue:
- Conserve water
- Host or run/walk a Dow Live Earth 6k race on April 18, 2010
- Give money to provide clean drinking water where the problem is most critical
- Speak up by signing the UN petition making water a basic human right.

Each of the global events include a 6K run/walk and “water village” to help educate and inform participants about the critical water issues many communities around the world face. Many of the events will also include concerts.

The 6K distance represents the average distance many women and children walk every day to secure water.

FitPlanet is supporting Run for Water events in North and South America including Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Minneapolis, New York City, Rio de Janeiro, Toronto, Sau Paulo, and Washington DC.

We encourage you to support the cause. Please click here to find a 6K Run for Water near you.

The campaign will integrate 6K Community Run/Walks (the average distance women and children walk for water in many third world countries) with concerts, online resources, and hands-on interactive experiences in countries across the globe — helping to create a tipping point to combat this crisis.

Athletes, please register for the 6 K run/walk on April 18th nearest you. Every step counts to solve the water crisis.

If there’s no event listed in your community, get involved by throwing your own “Friends of Live Earth” event on April 18th- we already have over 30 “Friends of Live Earth” events registered worldwide.

Here’s some ideas for a local event”
· Host a local run/walk
· Promote the run in schools, get local youth involved
· Show a movie (there are a lot of good ones out there: FLOW, Blue Gold, Tapped Out)
· Organize the clean-up of a local stream or pond
· Develop a local water & sanitation project

Click here for more information. If you have any questions or need more information about this event please e-mail us at: ngo@liveearth.org

September 23 - This month and next are incredibly busy for FitPlanet. Here’s a quick summary of some of the recent races we have helped to ‘green’ and some of the upcoming events we will be attending. If you’re participating in or attending any of these races, please come say hello!

September 18-19 - Reach the Beach Relay, NH. Thanks to the Stonyfield Organics this 24-hour, 200-mile point-to-point relay race was the greenest ever. We recycled from start to finish and runners made voluntary contributions to href=”http://www.outdoors.org”>Appalachian Mountain Club that will go to AMC projects to reduce carbon emissions.

September 20 - CVS Caremark Downtown 5K, Providence RI. About 8,000 runners participated in Rhode Island’s largest road race. FitPlanet helped the race divert about 65% of the 2.6 tons of waste from landfill to recycling.

September 27 - Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.. FitPlanet is helping the race recycle from start to finish and compost the water and Gatorade cups. We believe it’ll be the first such composting effort in Canada! In addition, we’ll be encouraging runners to carpool and use public transport to get to and from the race in an effort to reduce the Marathon’s carbon footprint.

Scheduled for the same weekend is the City of Boston’s Mayor’s Cup Professional Criterium on Saturday Sept. 26 and the Hub on Wheels bike ride through the streets of downtown Boston on Sunday Sept. 27. Both are taking steps to be as green as possible.

October 4 - Rock n Roll Half Marathon San Jose. FitPlanet will be exhibiting at the pre-race expo so stop by to say hello and sign the EcoPledge. The race is pulling out all the stops this year to be green, including recycling, composting, carbon reductions and a variety of other initiatives.

October 18 - Amica Marathon Newport, RI. We’ll have a comprehensive recycling and compost plan in place for this race as well as carbon emissions reduction and offset options.

October 25 - Marine Corps Marathon Arlington VA. The “People’s Marathon” will attract over 25,000 runners and will be among the greenest of the big city marathons in the country. Why? Because MCM is applying for certification to the Council for Responsible Sport standard.

If you’re a race director looking for help greening your race or interested in the Pledge of Sustainability, please call or email Bruce Rayner at 508-429-0976 and bruce@afitplanet.com

Toronto, Ontario (September 24, 2009) — More than 50,000 runners and spectators from 40 different countries will gather in downtown Toronto on Sunday, September 27, 2009 in the hope of setting personal bests, new records for speed and fundraising at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Half & 5k. Among the feats accomplished during the celebrated marathon’s 20th anniversary will be its first-ever green plan that aims to reduce the event’s impact on the environment by collecting recyclables, composting and reducing carbon emissions.

The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon (STWM) environmental plan has been created in collaboration with partners including Aquafina® water and Boston-based Athletes for a FitPlanet.

Through the Aquafina sponsorship of the STWM, the brand will provide 240,000 compostable drink cups, 72 recycling bins, and a dozen staff to manage the collection activities, as well as sponsorship funds to execute the program.

Athletes for a FitPlanet was brought on board by the Aquafina brand to develop a comprehensive green plan for the event. The company will audit and measure the success of this year’s green program and build on it in the years ahead. Future plans include adding new environmental initiatives and gaining eco-accreditation for the STWM.

This is the first time the STWM will undertake a major recycling and composting effort, as well as reduce carbon emissions by asking runners and spectators to ride share and take public transit. The STWM environmental plan has also launched a Green Page on its website www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com, which provides information about the recycling and composting efforts, as well as offering transportation alternatives like public transit information and marathon ride share options via www.pickuppal.com. The marathon’s environmental partners will also interact with race participants during the marathon’s Expo, held September 25 and 26, at Toronto’s Direct Energy Centre (Exhibit Hall D), where they will communicate details about the green initiatives being undertaken at the waterfront marathon.

According to Race Director Alan Brookes, who is leading the greening project, the plan was undertaken because environmental awareness is integral to the marathon’s future success.

“There is no doubt that the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon is becoming more and more of a signature event for the city. The race has quadrupled in size since 2003,” Brookes says.

“We wanted to commit resources to effectively reduce the environmental impact created when we draw so many thousands of people together,” he continues. “And also show that we share a vision of Toronto as being a great, green, world-class city. As a result, we’re going to make the STWM as environmentally-friendly as possible.”

“This is the beginning of our commitment towards environmental stewardship and social responsibility, and we envision ourselves leading the way in greening Canadian marathons through this new environmental program.”

Brookes says he was delighted when the Aquafina brand approached the STWM to offer their partnership. “After seeing the Aquafina green initiatives at the Chicago, Marine Corps and Los Angeles marathons, we jumped at the chance to expand the partnership to Canada,” Brookes says. “Aquafina brings a great deal of experience and support including enhanced on-the-ground recycling capabilities and sponsorship of our first environmental assessment. Together with our partners, including the City of Toronto, we can make a big impact. Partnerships like this, between public and private sectors, are a key to success for many large events especially when it comes to preserving the local environment and taking responsibility for the communities we live and run in.”

According to Cheryl Radisa, Vice President, Consumer Marketing, PepsiCo Beverages Canada, “We wanted the Aquafina brand to be a significant part of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, to demonstrate our commitment to being an active partner in an effort to enhance recycling capacity in communities, parklands and public spaces. This marathon is part of the fabric of Toronto, and it is such an exciting event for thousands of athletes and attendees including our consumers who come to Toronto to enjoy the race. We are proud to be part of this program and look forward helping it evolve in the future to maximize the sustainability efforts of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.”

ABOUT THE SCOTIABANK TORONTO WATERFRONT MARATHON:

The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Half-Marathon & 5k is the flagship event of the Canada Running Series, and is both an international-class race and a major community festival. The 42km marathon is currently the third largest in Canada, and was the site for the fastest marathon ever run on Canadian soil in 2007. Its Neighbourhood Challenge and Scotiabank Group Charity Challenge tie the sporting event strongly into the broader Toronto community, and this year, 99 local charities expect to raise a record of more than $1.5 million that will go back into the neighbourhoods, communities and families of the GTA. The STWM has the distinction of being one of only five IAAF Label marathons in North America, along with New York, Boston, Chicago and Ottawa.

It was also recognized as one of “Ontario’s Top 100 Festivals” for 2008 and 2009, and was recently voted “Best Marathon in Eastern Canada” by Get Out There magazine.
ABOUT ATHLETES FOR A FIT PLANET:

Athletes for a Fit Planet is a leading provider of environmental services to organizers of athletic events, including running, multi-sport, cycling and walking events. Fit Planet’s Pledge of Sustainability and Green Events Directory provide a cost-effective way for event organizers to communicate their green practices to athletes, and for athletes to make informed decisions about the events they participate in. The company also offers environmentally-responsible companies creative marketing solutions for reaching the athlete community.
ABOUT THE AQUAFINA® COMMUNITY RECYCLING INITIATIVE:

The Aquafina® Community Recycling Initiative is a sustainability program whereby Aquafina water, part of the PepsiCo Canada family of beverages, develops working partnerships with local communities and large-scale event organizers to help enhance on-the-ground recycling capacity within parklands and other public spaces. The Aquafina brand recycling support offers communities the resources to strengthen their recycling infrastructure, better enabling them to collect recyclable materials, divert waste from landfills, and ensure public spaces can ‘go and stay green.’ Community recycling projects are part of the Aquafina brand’s global effort to support communities by being actively involved in sustainability programs that help restore and preserve the local environment. Community leaders, organizers, and recycling experts join forces to develop the right recycling plans in order to have measurable impact.
ABOUT PEPSICO BEVERAGES CANADA:

PepsiCo Beverages Canada is a leader in the Canadian beverages industry and markets a variety of beverages under the following trademarks: PEPSI, DIET PEPSI, 7UP, MOUNTAIN DEW, MUG, AQUAFINA, SOBE, LIPTON and BRISK ICED TEAS, STARBUCKS BOTTLED FRAPPUCCINO, and GATORADE.

Hello world and Happy New Year!!!

It’s a brand new year and brand new chance to start making healthier decisions.

2009 was my first year with A Fit Planet and (truthfully) my first year thinking on a daily basis about being more aware of the environment and how I can reduce my carbon footprint. I started blogging about “our” part and simple steps to being more Green. I’ve learned so much and I am excited to keep learning and growing in knowledge and wisdom in this area…and hopefully YOU can too!

I have to admit when it came to travel- all I think about is my carbon footprint in regards to my mileage. But the act of actually “traveling green” are the actions we take as individuals moment by moment- while getting from point A to point B.

Recently, I made the BIG flight over to Australia. A 40+ hours of day of driving, waiting, flying, waiting, flying, scrambling, flying, etc. — 5 plane changes, and long layovers suddenly created a perfect opportunity to watch and notice how “green” or how wasteful we humans are while traveling. It also provided a great challenge to see how “green” I could be while I traveled.

Mary’s Green Tip of the Week: Traveling Green:

- Book flights with airlines that recycle the waste created when serving food and beverages to passengers. I traveled with Air New Zealand and upon entering the airplane, they gave us plastic cups to reuse while on the aircraft. They also announced that they recycle as much as possible. British Airways, has a very strong environmental agenda. Southwest Airlines recycles all cabin waste, and was the first to offer electronic ticketing systemwide.

- Packing. I tend to over pack. I always do! BUT the one thing I’ve started to do is to pack everything I think I need, once that’s complete- I repack the necessities and limit the “frilly” and the “I wants”. A rule of thumb- pack then half it and pack again.

- Most airports have recycling bins- USE THEM! Even if you are in a rush- it doesn’t take much time nor effort to separate what’s trash and what’s recyclable.

- Pack snacks, lunch/dinner ahead of time! That saves YOU a bit of dosh to spend on that thing you’ve always wanted. And chances are- you’ll like what you’ve packed over what any chain restaurant/Hudson’s Book Shop could sell you.

- Everyone loves to buy things at the airport. Well, if you do…I challenge you to read the labels and investigate their environmental claims. Select products with genuine eco-friendly features, such as:

Non-toxic and natural contents
Made from recycled materials
Minimum packaging
Produced locally
Energy- or water-efficient

- Sigg it up. It’s good for you AND for the planet!! http://www.sigg.com

- Public Transportation. Get to know it and support it. Wherever you are, whenever you can.

There you have it, people. This month’s tip on Traveling Green. Have a wonderful day and Happy 2010!!

We’ve got some exciting news to share…

FitPlanet has been a strong supporter of the Council for Responsible Sport (CRS) since the industry standards body launched in late 2007. Now we have established a formal partnership with CRS with the mission of providing sporting events a clear roadmap for earning recognition as a sustainable event.

FitPlanet has aligned our Pledge of Sustainability with the CRS standard so event organizers can use the Pledge as a starting point on their journey toward CRS certification.

FitPlanet’s Pledge of Sustainability provides event organizers the opportunity to formally and publicly commit to produce sustainable events by implementing a minimum of 9 out of a possible 26 eco-practices. FitPlanet’s Pledge criteria are now aligned with the 41 credits that comprise the CRS certification standard.

An event pays $100 to take the Pledge, which gives it the right to display the Pledge of Sustainability logo and list their event in the FitPlanet Green Events Directory.

The event organizer has access to the password-protected FitPlanet Resource Center that includes a ‘how-to’ guide, a business directory of green product and service providers, and a 60-minute FitPlanet webcast for greening events produced by Active Network, a FitPlanet partner on the Pledge of Sustainability. In February, FitPlanet is introducing a monthly webinar series for race directors who have taken the Pledge and/or are working toward CRS certification.

“Fit Planet has had a great deal of success in supporting event organizers in their pursuit of attaining CRS Certification,” said Marisa McGilliard, Executive Director of CRS. “Most recently, the Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) earned CRS Silver Certification. This included achieving over a thirty-two percent reduction in waste to landfill in just one years’ time under Fit Planet’s direction. To put this percentage into context, the standard decrease in waste to landfill year over year for most events is ten percent.”

From running to snowboarding, cycling to lacrosse, the Council believes that athletes, spectators, and event directors have the opportunity to encourage sports to adopt standards of environmental and social responsibility. The CRS certification standard is the recognized de facto standard for mass participation sporting events in North America. Modeled on the US Green Building Council’s LEED green building certification system, CRS certification is a rigorous process requiring events to earn a minimum of 22 out of a possible 41 credits. To date, 19 events have earned the right to display the prestigious CRS emblem including the Austin Marathon, Baltimore Running Festival, Los Angeles Marathon, Marine Corps Marathon and the Birmingham Half Marathon in England.

ABOUT THE COUNCIL FOR RESPONSIBLE SPORT
The Council for Responsible Sport (“CRS”) is a non-profit organization based in Portland, Oregon, with a mission to establish a new standard in sport. One program of CRS is administering a sustainability certification for mass participation sporting events. The CRS Certification defines a set of credits that empower directors and organizers with a comprehensive framework to incorporate standards of environmental and social responsibility into their event while informing athletes and participants which sports adhere to those standards. Additionally, CRS works in collaboration with a number of partner organizations in creating sustainability plans for individual teams, sports associations, and entire leagues.

FitPlanet Contact: Bruce Rayner at 508-429-0976
CRS Contact: Marisa McGilliard: 503-863-6892

FitPlanet would like to congratulate Race Director Rick Nealis and the entire 2009 Marine Corps Marathon team for earning Silver Certification to the Council for Responsible Sport (CRS) standard. MCM is the largest event to date to achieve this certification level.
FitPlanet worked with the “People’s Marathon” through the planning, implementation and reporting process to ensure the race achieved it’s goal of Silver Certification.
CRS awarded MCM 27 out of a possible 41 credits in five categories: Waste, Climate, Equipment and Materials, Community and Outreach, and Health Promotion.
Congratulations MCM!

More from Matt Hill, half of the Run for One Planet duo. Stephanie Tait and Matt, two intrepid Canadian, ran 11,000 miles across Canada and around the US to raise awareness and funds for environmental education.

It’s Sunday, August 16th, the day after my Mom’s 81st birthday! Happy Birthday to the youngest 81 year old on the Planet!

I sit here typing in a little coffee shack in Penticton BC called, “Smith & Company.” I’ve re-fueled here many times over the last 3 years at this locals spot in Ironman City Canada. As you know, I’ve completed 7 Ironman Canada’s and when Steph and I were beginning to plan the Run for One Planet tour waaaaaay back in January 2007, we spent an afternoon here madly typing our wish list of the most desired team and the tour’s first quarterly goals.

It’s amazing as I reflect back how many things came true as a result of us spending time that cold winter day planning our newly hatched tour to inspire people to be better stewards for our Planet. I remember like it was yesterday, going back and forth with “let’s contact that person and wouldn’t it be amazing to put this together.” We picked most of our team and many sponsors on that day even if “they” didn’t know it at the time.

Luckily Steph and I had ebullient enthusiasm and endless energy reserves, as little did we know what we were embarking on and just how much sacrifice it was going to take in order to pull this tour off.

We were never afraid of hard work and knew it would be a winding, twisting journey. It is a gift now to be writing a book to share with the world about the Run for One Planet Tour.

We had our very first Board of Directors meeting this week filled with members of our original R41P team plus new members, fresh with energy, ideas and inspiration. We are very much looking forward to these next four months as we create the Legacy vision & mission.

So long from Ironman City Canada and the wee coffee shop known as S&Co that helped Steph & me get clear on our biggest dream and who, how, and when we were going to make it happen.

Please contact me, Matt Hill, if your company, or someone you know is looking for a presentation from two road warriors. We are available starting in September. We will be working with a few speakers bureaus to reach out to community and corporate folks to share our message and some stories from the always entertaining, ever-changing Run For One Planet highway of dreams. Matt Hill

Here’s a summary of the announcement from Active Network about the partnership with FitPlanet and the launching of the Pledge of Sustainability. Not an Active client? Not to worry, you too can take the Pledge of Sustainability just click here to get started.

SAN DIEGO, CA – August 17, 2009 – The Active Network, Inc. (Active), a leading provider of technology and marketing solutions for community service and sports organizations, today announced the launch of its “Go Green” program in partnership with Athletes for a Fit Planet LLC, an organization that provides environmentally responsible solutions for endurance race and event organizers. Designed to encourage and enable the endurance sports community to embrace green practices, Active’s “Go Green” program recognizes and rewards race organizations that commit to adopting environmentally responsible practices, and gives consumers access to an extensive directory of green races around the country.

Active worked with Athletes for a Fit Planet, to identify criteria for its “Go Green” program that includes a Pledge of Sustainability. By signing up for the program and taking the Pledge of Sustainability, race organizations make a public commitment to initiate a minimum of 10 specific practices to reduce the environmental impact of their events. Active’s list of “Go Green” criteria range from the elimination of paper registration forms and providing on-site recycling bins to supporting local environment causes.

“Athletes for a Fit Planet is excited to be partnering with Active to integrate the Pledge of Sustainability into Active’s ‘Go Green’ program,” said Bruce Rayner, founder and chief green officer of Athletes for a Fit Planet. “Athletes looking for green events can now register with confidence because the Pledge of Sustainability criteria will be available on Active’s Go Green listing and Athletes for a Fit Planet’s Green Events Directory.”

By registering for Active’s “Go Green” program and taking the Pledge of Sustainability, event organizations receive a number of benefits including:

– Pledge of Sustainability seal that can be featured on their event site, banners and other materials
– Events will be posted on a special Protect Your Playground section on Active.com, the largest participatory sports site in the world, and on the Athletes for a Fit Planet event calendar
– Access to the Athletes for a Fit Planet Resource Center that includes a Green Events Handbook, Green Business Directory and other valuable resources
– Exclusive discounts on Active and Athletes for a Fit Planet services and products

Upon completion of the event, the event organizer will provide Athletes for a Fit Planet with documentation that verifies that the event met its Pledge criteria. The event will receive a Verification Certificate and their seal will be updated with a “Verified” stamp on both Active.com and Athletes for a Fit Planet’s website to indicate the event has met its Pledge.

“Unlike any other organization in the nation, Active has relationships with more than 15,000 endurance races and events,” said Eric McCue, general manager of Active’s ActiveEndurance division. “We realized that by introducing a green validation program to race organizations and offering incentives to participate, we could make a significant impact in helping drive green practices. Interest from race organizers has been overwhelming, and we expect to see more and more participants seeking out races that feature the Athletes for a Fit Planet Pledge of Sustainability.”

Active’s “Go Green” program is part of Active Endurance, a division of The Active Network that delivers industry-leading online technology and marketing solutions to over 15,000 endurance events and organizations. Endurance race organizers interested in more information about Active’s “Go Green” program can contact Michael Wilson at (858) 964-3886 or go to www.ActiveEndurance.com.

About The Active Network, Inc.
The Active Network delivers integrated technology solutions, marketing services and online media properties that enable and encourage participation in activities and events.