The 3 P’s & 5K Run/Walk to Zero Waste Update

Below are the 3 P’s your support through donations and sponsorship has helped Race to Zero Waste create!

Thanks to everyone that raised money for our VIRTUAL 5K Challenge to Zero Waste throughout May; we raised $2,500 & logged over 1,800 miles, together! Since then we have been busy creating our *new* Zero Waste Stations while providing the proper PPE for the Love Dolores Campaign in San Francisco. In addition, the money raised has assisted the organization in launching a new online educational series known as the Zero Waste Action Hour that has already reached hundreds of people both nationally and internationally.

Providing- financial assistance to R20W Workers. 

Many of our employees have been with us for years. Their livelihoods depend on event season.  And with all public events cancelled until further notice, their finances have taken a major hit.  Even more, some of our workers are seniors, who are facing particular hardships for employment because they are a vulnerable population.  We have distributed some funds for our workers and wish to continue to provide assistance to our workers in need.

Promoting- accessible zero waste education and outreach. 

Single-use gloves, disposable masks, and disinfectant wipes are filling our streets, sewers, and landfills. Personal health and safety should not come at the expense of public health and safety and our environment.  As we have successfully partnered with organizations and municipalities in the past, R20W seeks to empower the public with information and alternatives to single-use disposables that keep everyone and our Earth safe. Such an initiative would require getting signage into our communities, providing landfill diversion technologies such as Terracycle’s disposable gloves boxes, zero waste tool kits for families, and data collection.

Pursuing- safer, more efficient zero waste methods for future events.

We have used “Zero Waste Stations” on a small scale at past events. They are successful and give people the opportunity to learn how to sort their waste while our zero waste specialists provide guidance (think of the self checkout in a grocery store), empower the people with someone nearby to ensure questions get answered. These “Zero Waste Stations” not only reduce contamination of compostables and recyclables, they also bring awareness and empower the public to help with reduction of waste going to landfill.  In addition, “Zero Waste Stations” reduce time and energy it takes for our workers to sort through waste and are safer as workers come in less contact with the waste.
When the time comes for large public gatherings, we envision “Zero Waste Stations” as the standard at these events. Your contributions will allow us to fully develop these stations with tents, tables, signage, and bins required as well as more thorough Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) to ensure our workers’ safety.  We are all in this together and your support will help guide our future into a new and even better normal than the one we left behind. RUN/WALK/BIKE with us in solidarity over solutions that keep us all safe and our planet healthy for generations to come.