Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary is working hard to make our annual
race as environmentally friendly as possible. Listed below are the
major things that we are doing to make the race "green".
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All food is vegan |
Not only is a vegan diet the humane way to live
your life, and better for your health, it is also better for
the environment. It requires a lot more land, water and energy
to produce animal products. Producing meat, dairy products and
eggs also produces methane and other gases that greatly contributes
to global warming. Producing animal products also generates
more waste and pollution. |
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Reusable tote bags instead of t-shirts |
An additional way that Poplar Spring is working to improve our carbon footprint at the race is instead of having t-shirts produced for the race participants we are going to be distributing reusable tote bags, ideal for shopping, with Poplar Spring's logo on one side, and our race sponsors on the other. As most of you already know: the United States throws away about 100 billion plastic bags each year, according to the EPA, and less than 2% get recycled. Just one sad example of why we need to stop using plastic bags is that plastic bags cause over 100,000 sea turtle and other marine animal deaths every year when animals mistake them for food. This past June, the D.C. Council passed a bill charging a five-cent tax on plastic and paper shopping bags. We offer these bags to help you save money and save the environment!
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Using biodegradable utensils,
cups and garbage bags. |
These products, donated by Trellis
Earth Products Inc., are made out of biodegradable corn
and are not petroleum based. |
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Each race participant will have
a tree planted in their honor. |
To help offset the carbon footprint of this race, Trees
Instead will be planting a tree in honor of each race participant. |
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Strongly promoting carpooling |
Poplar Spring strongly encourages carpooling.
Feel free to use our carpooling
website. |
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Recycling and composting as
much as possible |
Poplar Spring, along with Wheaton Regional Park,
will be doing our best to recycle as much as possible, as well
as composting certain products, such as the biodegradable utensils. |
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Reusable goodie bags |
We do not use plastic goody bags, only cloth
ones that can be used when grocery shopping. |
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Collecting shoes to recycle |
We are collecting used athletic shoes, as well as any other type of shoe, at the
race site to be recycled by Nike and/or sent to Africa for distribution
(so bring your old shoes!). |
