At Pig Works, we are committed to a sustainable future. To minimize our carbon footprint, we recycle and compost at all of our events. Recycling containers are place strategically along the course, in our venues, and throughout our entertainment zones to maximize waste diversion. We focus on donating, reusing, upcycling, and recycling items that otherwise would have ended up in a landfill. Community partners help us take care of items that the city does not recycle, and we give a lot of our materials a second life.

With the collaboration of vendors, we have also increased the use of compostable plates, utensils, and cups instead of using plastic.

Our sustainability plan for the Queen Bee Half Marathon, TQL Beer Series, and FCC3 will continue the Flying Pig’s commitment to be a responsible steward of our communities.

The Flying Pig Marathon is committed to the research and implementation of policies and procedures to be a more sustainable event. As a certified green event, we adhere to principles in five sustainability categories set forth by the Council for Responsible Sport: Planning and Communication, Procurement, Resource Management, Access and Equity, and Community Legacy.

Our goals for the Flying Pig Marathon are:

• Reduce our environmental footprint by diverting at least 80% of our waste from the landfill;
• Continue to reach out and include athletes of all abilities;
• Continue to share with the public our sustainability efforts;
• Communicate the Flying Pig Marathon’s efforts to produce a more sustainable event that the city of Cincinnati and surrounding communities can be proud of.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

You can plan your route using Google Transit or download the EZRide app. Just put in your home address and the address of the where you want to go and get a list of buses and times to use.

RECYCLE ON RACE DAY

In the finish line Recovery Area and Post Race Party at Smale Riverfront Park, look for the Recycling Stations staffed by Green Team volunteers. The Green Team volunteers will assist you with the proper container for your waste.

SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability, as the word suggests is the ability to sustain. In order to create a more sustainable living environment and protect the future of humankind, we must treat the earth as our garden and make sure we are giving back as much as we are taking.

FLYING PIG MARATHON’S SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS

Since 2009 the Flying Pig Marathon has been taking steps to be a more sustainable event by practicing the three R’s of waste management: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

We have reduced the amount of paper used by no longer printing promotional brochures, results books and finisher certificates, which are all now done electronically. Also, with the introduction of the Virtual Goodie Bag in 2011, over 2 million pieces of paper have been eliminated from the waste stream.

The marathon collects discarded clothing at the start, and donates them to charities in the area. Any leftover food from the recovery area is donated to local food pantries. Banners and signage from the event are stored and reused the next year. Outdated banners and signage are donated to Matthew 25: Ministries and Crayons to Computers to be repurposed in their various projects. Ribbons from leftover participant medals are used as lanyards race weekend.

Since 2009, our recycling has expanded beyond water bottles to include paper, plastic, discarded participant Heatsheets, chip bags and excess medals.

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS

• In 2011 The Flying Pig received the Excellence in Public Recycling award from the Hamilton County Recycling and Solid Waste District, and certified as a green event by the Council for Responsible Sport.
• In 2013 and 2014 The Flying Pig was a finalist in the Green Business Award for Green Practices, sponsored by The Business Courier and recertified by the Council for Responsible Sport at the Silver Level.
• In 2015 The Flying Pig was the winner of the Green Business Award for Green Practices.
• In 2015 The Flying Pig was certified by the Council for Responsible Sport as a green event at the Gold Level.
• In 2017 The Flying Pig earned Gold Level Inspire Certification from the Council for Responsible Sport. Inspire event status is awarded by invitation to events achieving multiple certifications from the Council, to recognize the legacy of their commitment to sustainability and thoughtful resource management.
• From 2022-2024 our diversion rate was over 80% each year and we recycled, donated, and composted over 30,000 pounds of items.

FUTURE PLANS FOR GREENING FLYING PIG MARATHON

The Flying Pig Marathon Board Members and Green Committee are working hard to find more solutions to become a fully sustainable event.

COUNCIL FOR RESPONSIBLE SPORT

The Council for Responsible Sport (CRS) is about inspired innovation and unprecedented collaboration. As a Council, they were developed to provide a valuable roadmap and the resources necessary for event organizers to incorporate tenets of social and environmental responsibility into their organizations. The mission of CRS is to partner with and empower sport as catalysts for sustainable change. We provide the opportunity for sports events to pursue and receive certification, leaders to participate in peer-to-peer learning communities, access to online tools, case studies and strategic partners to assist the myriad stakeholders within the sports industry in their efforts to go green.

Founded in 2007 by the directors of The Freshwater Trust Portland Triathlon, the Council for Responsible Sport was created as a response to a growing need for planning models that take into consideration the social and environmental impacts of sports events.