Every year we provide up to 12,000 water and Rline bottles for hydration from the drink stations at our event. We totally get that our racegoers love the small bottles as they are easy to handle and can be carried between the drink stations.
However, we are more than uncomfortable with the large amount of plastic that we are adding to the waste stream particularly alongside the country’s second largest flowing river. So, we have spent some time trying to find an alternative that will meet the expectations of racegoers as well as helping to reduce our ecological footprint.
We are stoked to announce that in 2021 we will partner with Kiwi innovators: “Innocent Packaging” to provide 280ml compostable cups with secure lids to replace the old plastic bottles. These cups have been thoroughly tested by our crew in a running environment and they work flawlessly just as their plastic counterparts did. No leaks or spills, easy to hold and drink from and they can still be tipped easily over a runner’s head or body to refresh.
Best of all, the cups and lids will be collected by our volunteers and then sent to Nelsons Commercial Composting operation “Greenwaste to Zero” where they will be processed, mixed with green waste, compost windrowed and then eventually introduced back into the environment as an organic compost.
To make all of this really count, we will also donate $1000 every year to local volunteer-based planting projects to help improve the quality of our district and our ecosystem. Thank you for your support towards a greener future.