Third Consecutive Certification Breaks New Ground with Integrated Team Approach and Broad Support from Entire Race Committee, Sponsors and Vendors
January 11, 2016, Washington, DC: Leading up to the 2015 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run, Sustainability Team Leader Kim Nemire made a concerted effort to integrate sustainability into all aspects of race production. The results speak for themselves: Today the Council for Responsible Sport confirmed Gold certification and the achievement of every credit applied for by the 2015 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run, following silver certifications in 2011 and 2013. The annual 10 mile run and 5K Run-Walk attracts nearly 20,000 participants on a course that starts and finishes on the Washington Monument Grounds and passes by all of Washington DC's major memorials.
Race Director Phil Stewart applauded the team effort, saying: "Following Kim Nemire's lead, the entire race committee supported the many sustainability initiatives undertaken at last year's event. So, too, did our race sponsors and Health and Fitness Expo vendors. I'm very much looking forward to this year's pre-race dinner and the opportunity to recognize everyone's contribution to our gold certification."
Keith Peters, Executive Director of the Council for Responsible Sport, also acknowledged Kim Nemire's leadership: "Kim and her team looked at every aspect of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run in search of new opportunities to engage and educate race participants and volunteers about sustainability. Perhaps the most far-reaching initiative they promoted was TapIt, an innovative bottle refilling network of cafes, eateries, grocery stores and other local businesses that promote the D.C. region's access to tap water and provide a more sustainable alternative to bottled water."
Other sustainability highlights from the 2015 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run included:
- 59% of participants used public transportation to travel to the Health and Fitness Expo and/or the race, and over 300 people took advantage of bike valet parking services.
- 80% of the waste generated at the Health and Fitness Expo and on race day was diverted from the landfill through the dedicated sorting efforts of some 50 volunteers tasked with removing compostables and recyclables from the waste stream.
- 68 bags of clothing abandoned at the start line were collected and recycled, while nearly 200 pairs of shoes were recycled at the Health and Fitness Expo.
- Almost 90% of the food and beverages provided by the race were certified organic or were locally produced.
- 100% of the carbon footprint of race operations and 50% of the carbon footprint of local travel was offset through NativeEnergy. These offsets helped support the Southern Ute Indian Tribe Natural Methane Capture and Use Project, located on tribal lands in the San Juan Basin in southwestern Colorado.
- Race entries were provided to 100 local youth through a partnership with Teens Run DC.
The 2016 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run will take place on Sunday, April 3, and will mark the 14th year of title sponsorship by Credit Union Miracle Day. Since 2002, over $7 million has been raised for the Children?s Miracle Network Hospitals.
About the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile:
The Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run is known as "The Runner's Rite of Spring" in the Nation's Capital. The staging area for the event is on the Washington Monument Grounds and the course passes in sight of all of the major Washington, DC Memorials. The event serves as a fundraiser for the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, a consortium of 170 premier children's hospitals across the United States. About one-third of the funds raised support Washington, DC's own Children's National Medical Center ("Children's Hospital"). The event also funds two $5,000 Road Runners Club of America "Roads Scholar" grants designed to support up-and-coming U.S. distance running talent.
Credit Union Miracle Day, Inc., a consortium of credit unions and credit union suppliers, is the title sponsor of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run and 5K Run-Walk. PSCU is the lead financial partner of Credit Union Miracle Day, Inc. Supporting sponsors include Gatorade, Gold's Gym, MarathonFoto, MedStar Sports Medicine, Navy Federal Credit Union, New Balance, and Potomac River Running.
The event is a proud member of the PRRO Circuit (PRRO.org), a five-race non-marathon prize money circuit with events in Utica, NY; San Juan, PR; Washington, DC; Spokane, WA and Pittsburgh, PA. The circuit is committed to a drug-free sport and funds USADA to conduct drug testing at all circuit events.
In addition to being sanctioned by USA Track & Field and the Road Runners Club of America, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run has earned Gold certification from the Council For Responsible Sport for its many environmentally and socially responsible initiatives.
About America's Credit Unions:
Credit unions provide consumers choices for financial services such as checking accounts, investments and loans of all kinds including mortgages. Funds are federally insured, but unlike banks, there are no stockholders at credit unions. Earnings are returned to member-owners in the form of lower loan rates, higher savings rates, low or no-fee products and services. The credit union philosophy of placing members' needs first is why more than 104 million Americans do their banking at one of America?s 6,300 credit unions. Credit unions are for everyone - no matter where you live, there is a credit union to meet your needs.
To find a credit union near you visit: ASmarterChoice.org or CULookUp.com.
About the Council for Responsible Sport:
The Council's vision is a world where responsibly produced sports events are the norm and its mission is to provide objective, independent verification of the socially and environmentally responsible work event organizers are doing to make a difference in their communities. The current version of the Council's Certification standards (v.4.2) was developed by an outside working group of both sustainability and sport industry experts, reviewed by a wide range of stakeholders throughout 2013 and implemented in January 2014.
Website: CouncilforResponsibleSport.org.
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