Christophe Lemaitre (l) takes the European 100m title in Barcelona (© Getty Images)
European Athletics toolkit to identify ways to reduce the environmental impact at athletics events has been shortlisted for a prestigious award. Their innovation and passion to go green has inspired us and we hope that you will find it inspiring too.
European Athletics' Sustainable Sports Event Toolkit (SSET) project has been named as a finalist in the Sport for the Environment category for the prestigious 2010 Beyond Sport Awards, which will be presented in Chicago, USA, 27-30 September.
Beyond Sport is a global organisation that promotes the use of sport to drive positive social change across the world. Shortlisted projects for the
awards were chosen from more than 350 entries spanning 115 countries.
The SSET helps sport organisations develop practical strategies and
manage their environmental, social and economic impacts and opportunities.
European Athletics launched the SSET in 2009. It was co-developed with the International Academy of Sports Science and Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland, the International OlympicCommittee and the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Organising Committee.
The Sustainable Sports Event Toolkit is an online how to guide for organisers to identify ways of reducing the environmental impact of the European Athletics Championships. Sustainability initiatives include no paper policies, the use of reusable biodegradable cups, implementing recycling programmes, and the reuse of water.
More than 14 Athletics events across Europe have used or are planning on using this tool, including this summer's 20th European Athletics Championships in Barcelona, Lausanne's 'Athletissima', which is one of the 14 Samsung Diamond League meetings, and next year's European Athletics Indoor Championships.
European Athletics Director General Christian Milz said, “It’s been gratifying to see how many events have already expressed an interest in the SSET, which we are making available to our partners free of charge.”
“I believe that in the coming years the SSET will help to make Athletics events across Europe more sustainable thereby adding to the already strong positive image our sport enjoys with the public.”
The SSET project has been named a finalist in the Sport for the Environment category for the prestigious 2010 Beyond Sport Awards which will be presented in Chicago, USA, in September. Beyond Sport is a global organisation that promotes the use of sport to drive positive social change across the world.
Has your organisation taken new initiatives to reduce the impact of your events? If you want to share some of your own experiences please contact us at worldplan@iaaf.org with a short summary, and a member of our editorial team will contact you. Together, we can share in the spirit of the Athletics’ World Plan.