We mentioned the GW Green Scorecard yesterday and feel this is a nice add-on piece as it mentions another firm trying to measure and evaluate sports’ green impact, with a focus on running events. (My contribution to the environment here? I’m not running a marathon!)

The full article can be found at http://www.wendmag.com/greenery/2009/10/can-enviro-standards-of-big-sporting-events-be-changed-council-for-responsible-sport-says-yes/, with an excerpt below.

Can Enviro Standards of Big Sporting Events Be Changed? Council for Responsible Sport Says Yes

posted October 30th, 2009 by Anna Brones

Just because you take part in a human powered sport doesn’t make you eco-friendly. If you’re a runner, swimmer, biker, etc. you may not be using any carbon to fuel your passion, but there are many other things that affect your total impact, including sporting events. In fact large sporting events raise a variety of concerns when it comes to environmental impact, including waste, distances traveled to get to events, materials used, etc. Just think of the paper cups you see lying on the ground during a big marathon and you get the picture.

But big events don’t have to be environmentally un-friendly. That’s the idea behind Council for Responsible Sport (ReSport). The organization is a third-party, independent group formed in Portland, OR to provide comprehensive certification for sustainable athletic events. The ultimate goal is to not simply grade events on how well they’re doing, but to provide a holistic set of standards and guidance tools that can be used to measure sustainability strategies within the sports industry. “The greatest change will come when every member of the sports community becomes involved in a fundamental shift towards sustainability. Community partners and strong alliances alike are at the heart of perpetuating systemic change in sports,” says Marisa McGilliard, Executive Director of Council for Responsible Sport.

(The article continues at http://www.wendmag.com/greenery/2009/10/can-enviro-standards-of-big-sporting-events-be-changed-council-for-responsible-sport-says-yes/).