Participants and race organizers partnered in November to make the Sydney J.P. Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge more environmentally friendly by the way race items from registration to waste management were handled.

Greening efforts at Sydney add up
to environmentally friendly event

SYDNEY, January 14, 2009 — As nearly 7,500 participants ran and walked through Sydney 's Centennial Park on a blue-sky day this past November, an environmental success story was being written.

Through simple, yet effective steps, participants and race organizers partnered in the J.P. Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge's Teaming Up for a Greener Tomorrow campaign. Their efforts to use the best green practices at Sydney on November 12 made a measurable difference as they joined some 240,000 Corporate Challenge participants worldwide in the award-winning environmental campaign.

Consider that in Sydney 100 percent recycling was available with separate, clearly labeled bins provided on site for cans, bottles and paper. As a result, Veolia Environmental Services collected 3.26 tons of general waste that included 1.18 tons of cardboard. By processing the waste through the operation of its Woodlawn Bioreactor Processing (waste to energy), Veolia was able to achieve 87% methane recovery used for generation of electricity.

Other steps at the race may not have produced such dramatic results, but had similar positive greening effects. For example:

• Registration was 100 percent electronic, with no paper forms for the 7,500 participants.
• Information kits for more than 300 company captains also were provided entirely online.
• Race bibs were recyclable, with two bins provided for collection after the race.
• Beverages were served in 100 percent recyclable bottles (20,000) and cans (1,500).
• 100 percent material table cloths were used for all 170 tables in hospitality areas, with no disposable cloths used. Likewise, non-disposable plates and cutlery were used for more than 900 people in the VIP marquee area, and d rinks were served in glass.
• Nine buses were provided for transport to the race site, and all participants were encouraged to use public transport or private buses.

These steps do add up. In 2008, the J.P. Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge Series was recognized by Runner's World magazine as one of the 10 greenest road race events. In the 2008 Series, o nline registration alone saved more than 10,000 pounds of paper, enough to cover 51 3.5-mile Corporate Challenge race courses if lined up lengthwise.