There’s plenty of marathons happening out there, big scale and small. But if environment is your cause and you simply like to run, this is the marathon to attend.
What : SBI Green Marathon – Chandigarh
When : March 4, 2018 | 6AM onwards
Where: Chandigarh Club Road, Sector 1
State Bank of India, in collaboration with Radio Mirchi has set about organising a marathon with a cause, i.e. environmental sustainability and the impact of human activities on nature. The SBI Green Marathon is being held across six major cities – Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Ahemadabad, Chennai, and Chandigarh. The initiative intends to promote the idea that sustainability is a lifestyle choice that every individual must adopt and to create awareness about the grave imbalance caused by humans, in nature as well as within their own lifestyles.
The six city event focuses on how running events such as this marathon can minimize environmental decay and create a social impact that the future generations, and the earth itself, will benefit from. Being such a large scale and influential bank and radio station respectively, SBI and Radio Mirchi have taken it upon themselves to spread the message of caring for the environment while caring for society. Moreover, a sustainability report will be generated about the various steps taken during these marathons to minimize carbon footprint and generate social impact. This report will be in the form of a public document accessible by anyone who wishes to partake in this initiative.
This one isn’t just for competitive marathoners, but also for those who simply want to contribute to the cause. Running categories include the timed 21k (half marathon) and 10k race, along with a 5k and 2k option for amateurs, beginners, and anybody who wants to run for fun. In keeping with the theme of the event, the participants will also receive plant saplings, soluble bibs with seedlings, and an exclusive recycled t-shirt. Perplexed yet? Allow us to explain.
The organisers collaborated with PlasticIndia Foundation and recently unveiled a special t-shirt made out of 2,00,000 plastic bottles, thus making their way into the Guinness Book of World Records. No, this is not what the participants will be given to take home. However, t-shirts for participants have been made out of a special cloth created from 100% recycled plastic bottles. Moreover, the running bibs have been designed with a vision to be planted after use. They take their commitment to the environment seriously in the hope that you will too.
The promise to yourself and to the environment is the most effective takeaway that you will come back with, along with a sapling to implement your promise. Environmental destability is a serious concern for us and the generations to come. This is not an event to just admire from a distance, but one to actively partake in for a better future for us all.
