As I ran the Austin Marathon not too long ago, I considered how this historical ritual of traversing 26.2 miles brings communities collectively, promotes volunteerism and conjures up individuals to root for full strangers. Marathons are a celebration of human endurance and perseverance, however as an M.S. in Sustainability Science graduate, I couldn’t assist however surprise: What’s the environmental price of this huge occasion?
Hundreds of paper cups and tiny plastic gel packs littered the streets, discarded by runners hydrating and sugaring up on the go. Medals, manufactured from metallic and ribbon, have been handed out to each finisher—to not point out the overstock. The sheer quantity of single-use supplies—from bibs and timing chips to the plastic-wrapped restoration snacks and thermal blankets—raised questions concerning the sustainability of the game. Have been the advantages of closing down metropolis streets, lowering vehicular emissions for the day and inspiring an lively way of life sufficient to counterbalance the waste generated? Or is a marathon, by its nature, an occasion that leaves an outsized environmental footprint?
The sustainability of marathons is a rising matter of concern. Some races have made strides in lowering their impression: switching to compostable cups, utilizing recyclable bibs, sourcing medals from sustainable supplies and even planting bushes to make the race carbon impartial.
However earlier than detailing all of the proposed options, it’s essential to know the size of the difficulty. The New York Metropolis marathon alone collects roughly 38 tons of discarded clothes as runners shed their layers in the course of the race. Extra strikingly, the occasion additionally generates round 54.3 kilotons of carbon emissions (in keeping with one evaluation)—the equal of a Boeing 747 making 424 transatlantic flights from NYC to London.
To handle these challenges, some races have explored various hydration options, like private refillable bottles or modern biodegradable pods constructed from seaweed, such because the Ooho pods launched on the 2019 London Marathon. Whereas promising, these options have but to see widespread adoption throughout the marathon circuit, largely on account of logistical challenges and price issues.
Past hydration, different races have applied inventive sustainability efforts. The Boston Marathon not too long ago launched medals constructed from recycled metal and ribbons sourced from repurposed plastic bottles. The Toronto Waterfront Marathon’s Impression Bib program funds a sustainability charity in lieu of a race day shirt, and the Bathtub Marathon is planting one tree for each 20 registrants on a grove they personal, annually including extra bushes to additional the purpose of a carbon-neutral race. Some races, just like the NYC Marathon, have swapped out the standard disposable thermal blankets for reusable post-race ponchos, serving to to chop down on single-use waste whereas offering runners with a long-lasting memento.
Regardless of these efforts, the truth stays {that a} single-day occasion requires intensive assets. Marathons necessitate hundreds of volunteers, generate tons of trash and infrequently depend on company sponsorships that include promotional supplies and branding-heavy giveaways—a lot of which aren’t sustainable. Even when sustainability is a said purpose, race organizers should stability monetary constraints, logistical challenges and the expectations of individuals and spectators.
This wasn’t my first marathon. I had the pleasure of competing within the fiftieth annual NYC marathon and nonetheless have the reusable post-race poncho they gave all of the finishers. I needed my second marathon in my new hometown to be about one thing larger than myself. I began a fundraiser, bought the eye of the native media and was capable of elevate a significant quantity of funds for a nonprofit I’ve all the time supported. I really imagine that if I had created the fundraiser with out the marathon, the end result wouldn’t have been the identical. There’s one thing concerning the nature of endurance challenges that compels individuals to champion a trigger, whether or not it’s by way of cheering on runners, volunteering or donating to charities linked to the occasion.
When somebody says they’re coaching for a marathon, the response is often a variation of one thing constructive. Individuals could also be impressed, they might have questions or they might have their very own race or endurance tales that they immediately need to share. It is because marathons deliver all types of people collectively. Operating is without doubt one of the most pure human actions—we be taught to run after we’re round two years previous. To have an endurance sport constructed round one thing so elementary is, by nature, a unifying exercise that transcends political views, racial backgrounds and socioeconomic variations.
However making race day sustainable will solely be a precedence to a subset of individuals and spectators. Whereas some runners could actively hunt down eco-conscious races or decide to hold their very own hydration, others merely concentrate on the private problem of finishing the race. Meaning the duty largely falls on race organizers, metropolis officers and sponsors to implement greener practices with out disrupting the expertise for runners.
And but, there’s something enduring concerning the time-honored custom of marathons, rooted in historical past and human resilience. As I eye a 3rd marathon within the not-so-distant future, my hope is to see much more sustainability efforts built-in into its group. Organizers, sponsors and runners all have a task to play in making race day extra environmentally pleasant. The way forward for marathons isn’t nearly pushing human limits—it’s about doing so in a manner that respects the planet, guaranteeing that these unbelievable feats of endurance go away a long-lasting constructive impression on each the individuals who run them and the planet that helps them.
Daryush Nourbaha, a graduate of Columbia’s M.S. in Science in Sustainability Science program, is an setting, well being, security and sustainability supervisor at Collins Aerospace. He lives in Austin, TX, along with his spouse, two daughters, and their canine, Zoë.
Views and opinions expressed listed here are these of the authors, and don’t essentially replicate the official place of the Columbia Local weather Faculty, Earth Institute or Columbia College.
