When people ask me what I do for a living, I tell them that I work at the intersection of running and the environment, and ultimately help the running world become environmentally sustainable.
That typically brings one of two reactions: First, someone might suddenly have a panicked look on their face, thinking I am about to lecture them and make them commit right then and there to never fly in an airplane again; Or secondly, they might nod hesitantly, curious to learn more, but wondering if that will lead to a lecture that will ultimately make them feel like a horrible human being.
The thing is, I get it, but neither of those scenarios ever plays out. That’s because becoming a more sustainable runner doesn’t have to be twinged with guilt or even require unreasonable changes to your everyday life.
As runners, we want clean air to breathe on our runs, clean water to drink when we finish, and food free of plastic and chemicals to nourish us afterwards. The advice I’m giving you today won’t change the world, but if all of us did just a little bit more, with love for future generations at the front of our decision-making minds, we could make change happen.
Yes, we are doing it for the planet, but we can also be doing it for our future runs. So, in honor of Earth Day on April 22, let’s dig into some simple things that we can all do.
Unless we run on trails every day — where there is a lot of pride and more societal consciousness about not littering — it can be pretty common to see trash on the ground on most of our runs. And, for better or for worse, we have become conditioned to stepping over it and carrying on.
Imagine we stopped briefly to pick up one or two pieces of trash on every run and ran it to the next public garbage bin? I’m not talking about anything large and unwieldy or pieces of glass, but simply things like a food wrapper, a soda bottle, or an errant plastic bag.
If each of us did that on almost every run, it could have a massive impact on our communities and the places we run. Sure, you could join a plogging run in your community, but you could also do your part entirely on your own. It doesn’t have to happen on every run, but when you remember, that’s a great place to start.
Many of us are thinking about how to prepare for a time of spending less. Running will remain our loyal friend no matter what economic hardships might be ahead, but how can we make our running shoes and clothes last longer? Whenever possible, go for quality items that are made with natural materials. Merino wool is an incredible material that wicks away sweat and odor, dries quickly, and lasts a long time. Also, more brands are working on circular shoe concepts that are highly recyclable or have more sustainable materials that will decompose sooner than previous fully synthetic makeups.
For the clothes you already own, wash them in cold water with natural detergent, and instead of putting them into the dryer, hang them to dry on a drying rack or outside on a clothes line. That might seem like an inconvenience, but once you give it a try and notice how fresh your clothes smell, you will see why I recommend it. I almost find it almost meditative to have those few minutes a day to focus on one task; it’s rare to find those in our busy lives.
By all means, try to donate any used shoes and clothing that you are discarding. That will help those items find a second home either locally or abroad, and it will ensure they will not be sent to a landfill. There are numerous organizations around the U.S. that accept donated second-hand running gear — including Recycle Sneakers for Free, One World Running, Soles4Souls, Shoe4Africa, — but you can also probably start with your local running store.
It’s fun to go to new places to race, but for most of us, there are plenty of races within an hour of our home that we have not yet explored. For example, a few years ago, someone told me about the Pere Marquette Endurance Trail Run, a 7.8-mile trail race about an hour from my home in St. Louis. It sounded like fun, so I signed up and drove over there with a friend. It was insanely hard; the 1,600 feet of vert was no joke, but I enjoyed it and will always remember that race.
Did it stop me from getting on a plane and flying to a different destination? Maybe, but what it did do is galvanize the idea that we can think globally and run locally for all of the best reasons.
This one may be a tough sell. I can feel the raised eyebrows through the screen, but hear me out. Hugging a tree (literally) will bring a smile to your face that will set you up to be in a good mood for the rest of the day, but if that feels a little 1970s hippie crunchy for you, get your feet in some grass, your hands in some dirt, or even just put your hand on the trunk of a tree. Trust me, it will feel grounding and refreshing to connect with the natural world.
Is it going to a major impact to change? No, but the more we connect to nature — because, let’s face it, in many ways we are simply traveling through nature without being immersed in it — the more awe it will bring into our lives. Being awed by nature not only feels good, it deepens how much we care, and therefore how much we want to support it.
You may feel silly at first, but soon, like me, you will realize you don’t care because of the satisfying endorphin rush you get from it.
Sometimes we feel like our opinions don’t matter when we think on a global or even on a national scale, and I’ll be honest, sometimes that’s true. However, most change happens at the local level; then it can be scaled up to other communities when it gets enough attention to create systemic change.
Local race directors do care what you have to say. They take a lot of pride in their races and want to provide the best experience they can for their runners, and that means you. Race organizers know that taking the time to send an email is not something you have to do, so it will stand out that you used your energy and time to do that. Offer to volunteer to help them work on ways to reduce trash, reduce the use of plastic bags and cups, and other sustainability initiatives.
You can suggest that they become a member of Racing For Sustainability, a new nonprofit that equitably helps small to medium-sized races with their sustainability initiatives. Instead of criticizing an organization for what they haven’t been able to do yet, be positive and supportive and offer to help. Ultimately, my priority is our planet, and if that means an individual or an organization does just one thing differently each year, I consider that a step in the right direction.
All of these are simple, easy, and free ways you can show your love for the planet by building the world you want to see. Hardcore environmentalists have their place to push for systemic change, but we also need you. We need everyone doing something; where you start is up to you.
Tina Muir is a former elite marathoner who is the founder and president of the nonprofit Racing for Sustainability and the founder and CEO of Running for Real.
