Get Involved

Whether or not the earth is warming, runners can help improve the environment.

while 10,000 others had the incredible good sense to stay home and chuck

the whole thing. Not me. I paid my entry fee, and by God, I’m going to get my money’s worth. I am sweating profusely, and the race hasn’t even started. It occurs to me that this day may turn out to be a bad one for many or perhaps even all of us.

The gun goes off and our journey begins. Up until mile 11 or 12, I had been running mostly in the morning shadows of Chicago’s tall buildings, and it hadn’t felt all that bad. Of course, I had been taking plenty of water and electrolyte tablets. It never occurs to me that I may be using too much water and that some of those behind me will arrive at the tables only to find no remaining water. At the point where we begin spending most of our time in the sun rather than the shadows, we really begin to suffer. I instinctively slow my pace a bit, but I see others slowing more, and some are already walking. At some point, I see the first real victim: a runner lying on the side of the road and being helped by some spectators.

In the last few miles of the race, I slow down some more, but so does everyone else around me. I witness more and more carnage, right up to the finish line. What a relief to put that bag of ice on my head! I meet up with my family, and we hear that the race was canceled because of the weather. Can they do that?

Thad been one of the lucky ones. I had managed to finish just before the race had been called. The temperature had hit a very un-Chicago-in-October-like 88 degrees Fahrenheit, a record. I don’t run well in the heat, and this is probably the hottest it has been for any of my 80 or so marathons. I sincerely hope that I do another 80 or more before I hit another one that is this hot.

There has been much controversy about Chicago’s decision to cancel as well as the way it was handled. Much has been written about the entire debacle. My opinion is that the decision to cancel was the correct one. Contingency plans for

(sniei October 7, 2007—I’m out here with 35,000 of my closest friends,

these megaraces, however, probably require further scrutiny. I am hopeful that all race directors can benefit from the experience in Chicago.

On this same day, I had friends and acquaintances running and suffering under similar conditions at the Twin Cities and Towpath marathons. In recent years, there has been record or near-record heat for other large and small marathons, including London and Boston. The question must be asked: are these weather events normal, random variations, or are they the result of global warming?

If we were to say yes, they are a manifestation of global warming, then how should we respond when someone states that an unusually cold day disproves the whole thing? I believe the correct scientific answer is that it is not possible to tell. But just for fun, let’s examine the question a bit more.

The debate, as | see it

This article was going to state unequivocally that the planet is getting hotter, that human activity is the cause, and that it is in our interest, as runners and as human beings, to work to correct it. This was before the idea was proposed to Marathon & Beyond editor Rich Benyo. Rich surprised me by being skeptical about the whole thing. In a series of back-and-forth e-mails, he questioned whether the earth is truly getting hotter (it depends on which measurements you choose to accept, and over which period of time) and also whether human activity is the cause (the exact “relationship” between carbon dioxide and other gases to global temperatures is far from established). Rich produced information from other skeptics, including Michael Crichton and Bill Wenmark, to support his arguments. As one who also prides himself on being questioning, skeptical, and open-minded about things, it occurred to me that I was indeed accepting without much contest the scientific majority view, sometimes stated as a “consensus” on the subject. Crichton stated that whenever we hear that there is scientific consensus, we should probably all be incredulous to some extent. Richard Feynman was also adamant about challenging whatever “consensus” might be claimed, whether in science or elsewhere. Everyone would like to see this in simple terms. Either the earth is getting warmer, or it isn’t. If it is, either humans are causing it, or they aren’t. In my research, I learned, unfortunately, that the answers are not so clear. Yes, most agree, the planet is getting warmer. Remember global cooling, as postulated by some scientists in the 1970s? Actually, over some time periods, it is doing that, too. It all depends on what time frame and scale you’re using. It also depends on measurement methods, coverage area, and a whole lot of other stuff. The term “climate change” has been substituted for “global warming” of late, and this is even vaguer. Of course, the climate is changing; it always is. Could a recordhigh temperature on a certain day (like October 7, 2007) in a specific location (like Chicago) be a direct result of global warming or climate change? Record

highs and lows occur all the time. Some climatologists do tell us that extreme weather, especially on the warm side, is becoming more common. But there is dispute here as well.

Is human activity causing the earth to warm? Al Gore and others show what appears to be aclear relationship between carbon dioxide and global temperatures. Yet some point out that the link between greenhouse gases and climate has yet to be established. And, they continue, even if carbon does cause the earth’s temperatures to rise, climates are pretty darn complicated; this would likely be only one of many factors in the mix. Other possible causes may include variations in solar radiation or geothermal activity.

Crichton and others point out that if the United States were to adopt the international treaties and roll back our production of greenhouse gasses, the financial costs would be tremendous. There would be a major effect on our economy and on our entire way of life. The point, as I understand it, is that all this cost would be for something that isn’t even “proven.”

So, after all the e-mails, reading, and general debate, what am I left with? To be sure, my eyes have been opened, and a bit of doubt has crept in. To an extent, Ino longer see it as a closed issue. There is still plenty of room for debate and further study. I also understand that the answer may never be completely cut and dried. There will always be other factors.

But then I think about our shrinking polar ice caps and glaciers, our rising sea levels, the changes in vegetation, and the data produced by scientists about rising global temperatures. And I also think about some of the extreme heat that I’ve had to deal with during my runs, including that day in Chicago. I have seen too much over my lengthy lifetime to believe that the climate changes haven’t turned radical in the most recent years. I think about how our output of carbon dioxide and methane (not just from runners!) is going through the roof. Correlation doesn’t prove causation, but it certainly raises the question. Debates continue among politicians, the media, individuals, and scientists. But I believe, and most scientists believe, that the evidence overwhelmingly supports the case that human activity is causing the global climate change. Even if the real answer lies somewhere between the two sides of the debate, this still supports the case.

In the scientific world, those who make extraordinary claims are required to produce extraordinary evidence. The debate has been about whether the evidence provided to support human-induced global warming is indeed sufficient. But let’s put that aside for a moment and examine what I think is the bottom line here: what if they’re right, and what if they’re wrong?

If the environmentalists and the majority of scientists are correct and humans are indeed causing the climate to change drastically, then we are truly in deep trouble. We would, I think, need to act immediately to begin to correct the situation. In this case, we may or may not be at a tipping point, where adding to the

problem will cause events to spiral out of control. The costs, which may have been overstated anyway, would be nothing compared with the costs of a global disaster.

If the environmentalists are wrong, we may be changing our way of life almost unnecessarily. I say almost, because even without human-induced climate change, there is still good reason to change some things. The burning of fossil fuels causes amyriad of other problems, among which are dependence on foreign governments for fuel, various leaks and spills, air and water pollution, and the exhaustion of nonrenewable resources. Cleaning up our act is the right thing to do, no matter what. Yes, it’s expensive and painful to do things correctly. Isn’t that always the case? As fuel costs increase, as resources are exhausted, as pollution increases, we’re going to have to do something anyway. Why not do the right thing?

Where does this leave us? A little mixed up, perhaps. Ultimately, however, some of us may feel that we ought to do something useful.

What you can do

Have I convinced you? Chances are that you had already formed some opinions on the issue. This article may have either reinforced what you already believed or made you angry or angrier. Either way, you may not have changed your beliefs. T hope that I have at least given you food for thought. One thing I may be able to do, however, is persuade you to get involved.

Far be it for me to suggest that you join the Sierra Club, install a windmill in your backyard, or march on Washington. (I’ve done only the first.) Not that I don’t believe these actions will help. I could make the case that by becoming an environmental activist, you would be acting in your own best interest as a living, breathing entity on this planet, not to mention a person who spends time running outdoors and racing occasional marathons. But these things are simply beyond the scope of this, or possibly any, running-related article. Actually, far be it from me to tell you that you ought to do anything specific, running related or not, to help fight global warming. What I will do, however, is suggest a few things for you, as a runner, to think about.

The Eugene Marathon switched to a reusable
goodie bag that participants were excited to use
around town.

Nicole Teter

A Close to 1,000 pairs of shoes were collected at the 2008 San Francisco Marathon, just one of several efforts made toward the race’s “Going Green’ initiative. The shoes were donated to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which is a nonprofit in San Francisco that helps the homeless.

First and foremost, getting involved means getting informed. Read books and articles on the subject of global climate change. Search the Web, an excellent source of information, while bearing in mind, of course, that anyone can say anything there. For starters, here are just a few Web sources that I believe are good:

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/

http:/!www.crichton-official.com/speech-ourenvironmentalfuture.html

http://www.climatecrisis.net/

And here are a couple of books:

An Inconvenient Truth, by Al Gore

The Weather Makers, by Tim Flannery

State of Fear, by Michael Crichton

The Deniers: The World Renowned Scientists Who Stood Up Against Global Warming Hysteria, Political Persecution, and Fraud* *And those who are too fearful to do so, by Lawrence Solomon

Fight Global Warming Now: The Handbook for Taking Action in Your Community, by Bill McKibben

There are plenty of others. Check them out for yourself.

x é & o

At the Portland Marathon, after crossing the
finish line, receiving their medals, and replenishing
with food and beverages, marathoners also collect
additional goodies, including a tree seedling.

Second, consider the planet when you plan your running-related travel. Yes, it’s fun and exciting to travel to a race in a different city, state, or country. But perhaps you should also consider those races that are closer to home; they may be just as much fun. Or when you do plan to run a faraway race, you can do something that many of us do anyway: try to combine the running event with travel that you would have been doing anyway, such as a vacation or a business trip. This way, at least you’re not making an additional trip for the running alone.

Likewise, think about whether it’s really necessary to drive somewhere for your regular training runs. Some of us drive to the track for speed work, to some venue for group runs, or simply to run at a different locale. Is it possible, instead, to simply run from home? Iam making a few changes here: I now usually run to and from the track, even though this makes for a longer warm-up and cool-down than I would like. I also forgo many of my solitary runs at locations away from my home. I still do some driving and running to meet friends for our group runs.

Finally, get involved with green racing. I understand that most Marathon & Beyond readers are probably more interested in running in races rather than in organizing them. But even you nonorganizing types can still help by volunteering. By all means, volunteer at any race you can, but as you do so, also try to keep the environment in mind. By this, I mean be aware of opportunities to make your race greener. There are many prospects for this, large and small, at virtually every event. This may mean making suggestions to the race director, such as those outlined in “Green Racing” on pages 26—28. Or it may mean doing smaller things that may not be in your job description, like recycling plastic bottles or just picking up litter.

For those who do organize races, the rest of us are in your debt. Please consider making your event an environmentally friendly one.

For those planning to run a marathon, here is one other thought: vote with your feet. When you choose a marathon to run, you weigh many factors: large or small, close or far, flat or hilly, roads or trails. To this list add another deciding

© Walt Amacher

A Cyclists, not automobiles, lead the Royal Victoria Marathon. Bikes are used for the early and main marathon start, as well as for the half-marathon and 8K road race.

factor: green or not so green. Lean toward green. Check out http://runnersworldgreenteam.coni for a list of green races.

Me? I’m going to start looking at the November calendar for my fall marathons.

Green Racing

Marathon & Beyond publisher Jan Seeley gave a presentation called “Greening Your Event: How to Tread More Lightly” at a Race Directors’ Conference during the 2008 Austin Marathon weekend activities. Jan and Rich Benyo may agree or disagree on some of the finer points of the climate-change debate, but I believe that they, along with most folks, would concur that everyone can benefit from more environmentally friendly race events. Below I have summarized some of the information that Jan presented. I have also included ideas from The Road Race Management Guide to Greener Running Events, edited by Keith Peters.

A marathon has an environmental impact. Consider that prior to the race: ¢ The race committee may travel to other race expos to promote its event and also mail and otherwise distribute brochures and other information. ¢ The runners wear out as many as three pairs of shoes while training.

¢ During the day or days prior to the race, runners arrive from all corners of the country and the globe.

¢ Vendors and runners travel to the expo, where the runners receive goody bags, T-shirts, and other paraphernalia.

¢ Runners may attend a buffet-style pasta feed with disposable plates, cups, and plastic ware.

On race day:

¢ Runners, volunteers, spectators, and race officials travel to the race venue.

¢ Runners visit porta-potties and discard extra clothing and water bottles.

¢ There are usually official and press vehicles to accompany runners.

¢ Refreshments in disposable containers are provided at aid stations. As the race concludes:

¢ Runners receive medals, space blankets, and refreshments. ¢ There is often a postrace party with more refreshments.

¢ A postcard or results book is mailed to all entrants. It doesn’t have to be this way. Let’s think green and see what happens.

Prior to the race:

¢ Brochures and other information can be printed on recycled paper, or perhaps not printed at all in favor of online registration and e-mail information distribution.

¢ Eco-friendly shirts, recycled/recyclable race numbers, and biodegradable or cloth goody bags can all be provided. Goody bags can also be reused as drop bags.

¢ For other race-related purchasing, local vendors should be considered.

¢ An all-organic pasta dinner can be provided. Biodegradable or reusable plates should be used.

¢ Race officials can provide a link on the Web site to help participants hook up with others to carpool to the race, such as http://www.rideshare.us.

¢ Information can be provided to enable runners to offset the carbon emissions of their race-related travel.

¢ At the expo, old running shoes and clothing can be collected and distributed to charities.

¢ Green vendors and speakers should be encouraged. ¢ Buses can be provided for transportation between hotels and the expo, dinner, and starting area.

¢ Race numbers can be reused from prior years.