TD Bank Beach
to Beacon 10K Committed to Greening Efforts, Sets Goal to Further Reduce Carbon
Footprint
Û÷GreenÛª
race aims to improve on impressive 2010 recycling and composting effort with
comprehensive environmental program
CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine (July
12, 2011) ÛÒ The upcoming TD
Bank Beach to Beacon 10K is aiming to build on its reputation as one of the
most environmentally friendly road races, with enhanced efforts this year to
recycle and compost waste and reduce traffic to and from the event.
Race organizers have set a goal
to exceed last yearÛªs impressive greening effort, which boasted a 58
percent ÛÏdiversion rateÛ ÛÒ recycling plus compost ÛÒ of
all waste generated, reducing landfill waste to 0.7 pounds per runner.
The goal for 2011 is to divert at
least 65 percent of all waste with a waste-per-runner rate of less than 0.5
pounds, according to the TD Bank Beach to BeaconÛªs green consulting
partner, Athletes
for a Fit Planet LLC, a leading provider of eco-services for athletic events in
the U.S. and Canada. The raceÛªs green
corporate sponsor is Fairchild Semiconductor.
ÛÏWe believe
strongly in our obligation to Maine and to the local community of Cape
Elizabeth to reduce our environmental impact,Û said Joan Benoit
Samuelson, a Maine native and Olympic gold medalist who founded the race.
ÛÏWe have a top notch program in place, thanks in large part to our green
corporate sponsor, Fairchild Semiconductor, and are confident we can continue
to lead the way in showcasing efforts that can be made at running events and in
peopleÛªs daily lives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.Û
Highlights of the raceÛªs
environmental efforts include:
·
Recycling
and composting from start to finish.
This yearÛªs TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K will
have Green Team members at the start, on the course at the water stations, and
at the finish festival. The Green TeamÛªs job is to make sure the race
diverts as much waste as humanly possible from landfill by recycling all
plastic, cardboard, paper, glass, and metal, as well as composting food waste and thousands of wax-coated paper cups used
on the course. In 2010, 24,000 cups were composted.
·
Collecting
and recycling plastic bottles.
In addition to recycling and composting, the TD Bank
Beach to Beacon 10K collects and recycles empty,
single-use disposable plastic bottles provided to runners at the finish. In
2010, Green Team volunteers collected 4,188 plastic water bottles. In 2011, the
goal is 8,000.
·
Eco-friendly
portable toilets. All
portable toilets for the race will be using non-toxic, earth-friendly chemicals
and recycled paper to ensure minimal impact on the environment. Typically,
chemicals used in the toilet tank contain harsh, often toxic chemicals.
·
No
more paper registration. For
several years, TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K has
required all runners to register online, eliminating the need for printing
paper registration forms. In addition, the majority of the raceÛªs
communications to runners are conducted via e-mail and through its website.
·
Rideshare
to the race. In an
effort to reduce carbon emissions, race officials are encouraging everyone to
share a ride to the race. Using a new program launched last year, runners are
able to go to www.pickuppal.com to
Û÷self-organizeÛª ride sharing.
·
Satellite
parking for race.
Race organizers are providing transportation to and from the race from
satellite parking lots at South Portland High School and the Hannaford
corporate headquarters in Scarborough. Reducing traffic congestion near the
start line on race morning reduces emissions from idling cars.
·
Nike
Reuse-A-Shoe is back
– Runners can drop off their old running shoes at the race Expo and on race day
and Nike will recycle them into Nike Grind,
which is used to make tracks, playing surfaces, fields and courts. The goal
this year is to double the 250 pairs collected in 2010.
·
EPA-approved
non-toxic paint
ÛÒ Brite Stripe Ultra-Friendly ÛÒ will be used for the Start and
Finish lines, provided by Pioneer Athletics. It is the turf industryÛªs
only VOC-free paint and the first, and only, to receive EPA recognition.
ÛÏOur environmental
program continues to expand and get stronger each year, which
is really a reflection of our commitment to this responsibility and the strong
team effort between Fairchild and Athletes for a Fit Planet,Û said Race
President Dave Weatherbie of Cape Elizabeth.
ÛÏItÛªs also important to note that our title
sponsor, TD Bank, shares our vision and has built a reputation of its own for
its green initiatives.Û
TD Bank, which has drawn attention for
constructing energy-efficient buildings with solar panels, is also the largest
U.S.-based bank to be carbon neutral. The bank is lowering its energy
consumption and has purchased enough renewable energy from sources like wind,
solar and low-impact hydro power to meet 100 percent of its energy needs from
Maine to Florida.
Click Here: Cheap Golf Golf Clubs
ÛÏAt TD Bank, we
want to be a responsible community partner and that includes a commitment to being
an environmental leader,” said Larry Wold, Market President for TD Bank.
“In one year, we have achieved carbon-neutrality throughout our entire
footprint and have opened more than 25 environmentally-friendly stores and
offices, including our Auburn Call Center, which achieved LEED-CI Platinum
certification, and two new stores located in Bangor and Portland. To us, being
environmentally responsible is fundamental to becoming as green as our
logo.Û
Athletes for a Fit
PlanetÛªs Bruce Rayner, Chief Green Officer, advises
event organizers on cost-effective strategies and products and services for
reducing, recycling and composting waste, reducing and offsetting greenhouse
gas emissions, and minimizing the impact of the event on the local environment.
Samuelson wants the TD
Bank Beach to Beacon to set an example for others to follow.
ÛÏRunning is a pure
sport ÛÒ runners are in tune with environmental changes by the nature of
their daily runs and running experiences,Û she added. ÛÏIt only
makes sense for a race that receives great acclaim and visibility to do its
part to reduce the runnersÛª footprints throughout the event – from before
they start the race until well after they cross the finish line.Û
The TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race is
MaineÛªs premiere sports event. The race day field of 6,000 includes some
of the best elite runners from the U.S. and internationally who are joined at
the start line by recreational runners from Maine and across New England. The
2010 race included runners from 17 countries and 41 U.S. states.
This year marks the 14th year for the TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K, which is
considered one of the gems on the U.S. road race circuit. The race begins near
the Crescent Beach State Park entrance on Route 77 and ends 6.2 miles later in
Fort Williams Park at the Portland Head Light, the most photographed lighthouse
in America.
TD Bank is the title sponsor of the race, founded by Olympic gold medalist Joan
Benoit Samuelson, a running icon and MaineÛªs most admired athlete. The
race is directed by Dave McGillivray of DMSE Sports (www.dmsesports.com), who also directs
the BAA Boston Marathon and is regarded as one of the best in the business.
In addition to TD Bank, other major corporate
partners this year include Hannaford, Poland Spring, MaineHealth, Fairchild
Semiconductor, Nike, Northeast Delta Dental, Wright Express and WCSH6. For
additional information about the race, visit www.beach2beacon.org or call
the race hotline at (888) 480-6940.
The beneficiary of this yearÛªs race is
Day One, a non-profit agency providing substance abuse prevention,
intervention, treatment, and aftercare programs for Maine youth. Day One (www.day-one.org) targets substance abuse
at all stages with a wide-range of programs designed to meet the needs in
communities across Maine. Headquartered in South Portland, Maine, Day One
served more than 1,600 youth in 2010.
TD Bank, through the TD Charitable
Foundation, will provide a cash donation of $30,000 to Day One. The
organization also will benefit from fundraising activities and publicity
through its association with the race.
About TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®
TD
Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the
U.S., providing more than 7.4 million customers with a full range of retail,
small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,250
convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the
Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer
customized wealth management services through TD Wealth, and insurance products
and services through TD Insurance, Inc. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry
Hill, N.J., and Portland, Maine. To learn more, follow TD Bank on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US or
visit www.tdbank.com.
TD Bank is a member of TD Bank Group and a
subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial
services company in North America and one of the few banks in the world rated
Aaa by Moody’s. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto
stock exchanges under the ticker symbol “TD.” To learn more, visit www.td.com.
About
the TD Charitable Foundation
The TD
Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank N.A., which
operates as TD Bank, AmericaÛªs Most Convenient Bank®, and
is one of the 10 largest commercial banking organizations in the United States.
The Foundation’s mission is to serve the individuals, families and businesses
in all the communities where TD Bank operates, having made $73.5 million in
charitable donations since its inception in 2002. The FoundationÛªs areas
of focus are affordable housing, education and financial literacy, and the environment.
More information on the TD Charitable Foundation, including an online grant
application, is available at www.TDBank.com.