February 11, 2016 – Vancouver, BC
The Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon and 5k is committed to producing a world-class event that showcases the city and is both socially and environmentally responsible. After a complete analysis by the Council for Responsible Sport, the 2015 event has been awarded a Gold Certification, making it the only event in Canada to do so. By reaching the highest sustainability certification of any event in the country, #ScotiaHalf claims to be Canada’s Greenest Race!
Certification from the Council for Responsible Sport formally recognizes significant achievements through the successful completion of socially and environmentally responsible best practices at sporting events. Standards can be achieved in areas ranging from waste management and climate impact to community involvement, health promotion and more. The only other certified event in Canada is the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon (Silver – 2014).
The Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon has a big job that includes integrating sustainability into all aspects of its production. The event was able to achieve Gold level certification by receiving 50 out of 50 credits it applied for, improving upon the silver certification it earned in 2013. Credits in the Council’s certification program are based on industry best practices in the areas of planning and communications, procurement, resource management, access and equity and community legacy.
“We are thrilled to have been awarded this designation”, said Operations Director Tom Skinner. “Our staff and Volunteers have worked tirelessly over the years to achieve this goal. We can all feel proud that we are doing our very best for the environment and our community. We feel that we have set the bar high for other events in the region and across Canada.”
The Council for Responsible Sport’s certification director, Shelley Villalobos, commended the achievement by saying, “this gold certificate is well-earned by Canada Running Series for its mature, thorough approach to hosting an exemplary responsible event in the Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon.”
Waste Diversion Highlights
- 98% of waste diverted from the landfill over two days at the Expo and Race Day
- This includes over 600kg of composted waste and 300kg of cardboard/paper
- Over 350kg of food donated to Quest Food Exchange
- Only 56kg of garbage was produced for over 6000 runners
- Participants brought hard-to-recycle items (batteries, light bulbs, etc) from home to be recycled
Carbon Footprint and Offsets
- All electrical use at the Event Expo was offset by purchasing clean energy from Bullfrog Power
- Almost 30% of the event’s operational power came from solar and bike power, covering the majority of the Finish Area’s power needs
- Carbon footprint of event calculated at 5.03 tonnes, 100% of which is being offset through Offsetters.ca carbon credits, making the event carbon neutral
- New Bike Valet increased the number of participants who rode their bikes to Stanley Park
- Event paid for additional public transit service on select routes headed to UBC on Sunday AM
- Event will also purchase carbon credits to cover 50% of greenhouse gases produced by local participants travelling to the event (additional 17 tonnes)
Procurement
- 100% of food purchased for the event was either from local businesses or sustainably produced (e.g. local cookies and bagels, organic fruits)
- Majority of services and supplies procured from event come from locally owned businesses
- 100% of registration performed online to remove paper registration forms
- Participants all receive Virtual Event Bag, to cut down on waste from paper flyers and handouts
Improvements Planned for 2016
While ecstatic about the Gold certification, the team at Scotia Half is already thinking of ways to improve for next year. Over 80% of participants surveyed said sustainability efforts were good or great, and many provided suggestions on ways to improve. Plans for 2016 include:
- Additional recycling and compost stations to be added to Finish Food Area
- On-course waste diversion at Water Stations to be simplified with improved signage and infrastructure
- On-course water bottle refill stations will be expanded to reduce reliance on paper cups
- Supply orders will be further refined, thanks to data collected at 2014 and 2015 events, reducing waste
Join us at Canada’s most sustainable run on June 26, 2016! Sign up today at VancouverHalf.com to show your support for sustainable events!
