Kilian Jornet is calling on runners and brands to help the environment

From Runner's World

Kilian Jornet is calling on runners, brands and events to sign up to an ambitious Pledge to help the environment.

The Outdoor Friendly Pledge states as its intention ‘to target the pollution and greenhouse gases generated through outdoor sports, to improve management of natural resources, preserving land and biodiversity, and to advocate for a more sustainable society.’

Jornet has set out 10 respective pledges for athletes, events, brands and federations to be enacted by 2030.

For athletes, these include: refusing to participate in activities with high carbon emission for communication purposes (eg. filming with a helicopter); promoting participation in local races and adventures; practicing carbon offsetting on all travels; participating in at least one act of environmental conservation work each year; and checking the ecological footprint of the equipment they purchase.

For events, these include: becoming a carbon neutral event; using 100 per cent renewable energy to supply the organising needs; reduce waste by at least 50 per cent of the current levels; and using 100 per cent ecologically friendly and fair materials for the event.

For brands, these include: designing products to be durable and sustainable; reduction of the use of chemicals and developing mitigation strategies against microplastic pollution; target to use only energy from 100 per cent renewable sources across all operations; and publishing the product carbon footprint (PCA) or the environmental footprint of the products.

For federations, these include: designing events/circuits that are environmentally friendly and involve less international travel; becoming carbon neutral; introducing regulations forbidding the use of toxic products; implementing sanctions on environmentally damaging behaviours by participants and organisers.

On the Outdoor Friendly website, it encourages people, brands and organisations to ‘commit to what you feel ready for. Focus on one, five or 10 commitments to work during each year. Small steps lead to bigger ones.’

For more information and to pledge, visit: outdoorfriendly.org

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