Sustainability isn’t about being perfect, but it is about getting started. Runners, gyms, sports clubs, and teams have a chance to create a more sustainable future that doesn’t require dramatic lifestyle changes. In other words, you and all of us can embrace sustainability. How? The answer is simple. The following sustainability tips offer small, repeatable approaches that can compound over time.
As a general rule, at the top of our sustainability tips list is to reuse whenever possible, replace only when necessary, and build habits that stick. Our sneaker reuse and recycle community is uniquely positioned to lead in this shift. For instance, did you know that when you rotate your sneakers, you don’t have to toss them in the trash (neither does anyone else!)? Instead, you and your community can redirect athletic shoes to second lives elsewhere.
Start With Sneakers: Replace Smart, Reuse Responsibly
Most running shoes are manufactured to last about 300 to 500 miles, depending on the person’s gait and the terrain runned. After that point, the cushioning starts to wear, and in turn, that can create risk of injury. This is where reuse comes into the picture. Instead of throwing sneakers into the trash, where they’ll end up in landfills and take decades to decompose, you and your community can look for reuse programs.
Sneakers4Good, for instance, is the nation’s leading sneaker reuse program. In the process, you and your running and sports community can accomplish the following:
- Running and sports groups can join a global sustainability movement.
- Depending on your set-up, you can order Mail-In Reuse Bag or have central athletic shoe collection points through one of our sneaker reuse programs.
- Feel good and make a global tree-planting impact through our Green Sneakers associate program.
- Make a human impact and give over 4,000 micro-entrepreneurs worldwide a hand-up by helping them get sneaker inventory from the USA that they can sell.
Sustainability Tip
If you’re going to replace your sneakers anyway, make it a habit to make a small choice with impact.
Shop Consciously and Learn to Spot Greenwashing
Buying less and having less stuff is helpful to sustainability, reducing debt, and stress. Still, you will have to buy things, but buying better is much more powerful. So, when you purchase apparel or fitness gear, make it a point to look for merch that’s made with more than 80% natural and organic materials. Also, look for products that are sustainably sourced and manufactured.
As far as our sustainability tips go for shopping, you can also do the following to ensure that you’re being more environmentally friendly:
- Look for eco-friendly and green labels.
- Buy from sustainable brands that back their claims with certifications and lifecycle data.
- Explore reputable take-back and reuse programs.
- Make sure to look for a durable design, and ignore empty slogans.
Sustainability Tip:
If a brand can’t explain what happens to a product after use, that’s a warning sign, and it’s not a value proposition.
Build Community Through Action, Not Messaging
Sustainability grows faster when habits spread, and fitness communities are leaders in health and wellness. As a result, they’re uniquely positioned to turn environmental social responsibility into collection action. That action can be as simple as hosting a river or park clean-up, collecting sneakers, or incorporating sustainability touchpoints at different spots in running retail stores, gyms, or studios.
Sustainability doesn’t have to be flashy. Any little step forward is a step in a positive direction toward growing environmentalism, so here are more sustainability tips for communities:
- Your sustainability efforts should be visible to increase participation.
- Leadership is important.
- Remind everyone to show up, participate, and stay consistent.
- Focus on the shared community for sustainability, not on the obligation.
Sustainability Tip
As a leader in the community, remember to lead by example. Communities reflect what they see far more than what they’re told.
Sustainability Is a Habit, Not a Campaign
Now that you know some of the easiest and best sustainability tips for your running and sports community, we want to share a few other quick tips (we’ve got many, but these are the best!). Remember, being environmental doesn’t have to be hard or impossible to achieve. It’s just about a few consistent habits that you fully embrace, so…
- Measure your success. For example, if you’re collecting sneakers, measure how many you collect and the impact you make!
- Share your progress. You’ll become a sustainability leader, but people have to know about it in your marketing and branding strategies.
- Be transparent. Sharing your success isn’t just about self-promotion if it provides value. It’s also about transparency and an invitation to everyone to join.
- Multi-channel marketing. Don’t miss an opportunity to share through various platforms. Use social media, newsletters, signage, and videos to promote your efforts.
Remember that effective sustainability efforts in the running and sports community share one thing across the board: consistency. In sum, sustainability should become part of your DNA and your everyday decisions. It’s not about talking the talk. It’s about walking the walk. You and your community have the opportunity to not do everything, but to do a few things well—repeatedly.
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