Compete Green
The other day, I had a great meeting with Ben DeWitt and Tom Taylor, the guys behind Compete Green and the Ojai 2 Ocean Marathon (half marathon, too). As they say: Our mission is to enjoy healthy, endurance lifestyles while promoting sustainability and environmental awareness through our events. We strive not to just use our beautiful world, but to become a growing and symbiotic part of it.
I’ve got to say, it’s so refreshing to see two young guys trying to do the right thing as they launch their green event management business. Not that I don’t have a lot of respect and admiration for all the event organizers of existing events that are trying to retrofit their product and processes to be more sustainable, but when you’re starting from scratch, like Ben and Tom are, it can give you a tremendous head start on going green.
How so? Well, you can start fresh with a network of like-minded vendors, for one thing. Compete Green is working directly with suppliers like Greenlayer Sports, Tribute Sport and Walden Surfboards to source eco-friendly apparel, medals made from recycled materials and mile markers made from old surfboards, respectively. Add to that a commitment to support environmental charities — in Ojai 2 Ocean’s case by auctioning off the 13th and 26th mile markers — and you’ve got the makings of a green racing revolution.
As the green event movement matures, look for more young entrepreneurs like Ben and Tom to take up the mantle of racing towards a better environment.
Tags: Compete Green, environmentally responsible sporting events, green event management, green events, Greenlayer Sports, Ojai 2 Ocean Marathon and Half Marathon