Runners race for a greener planet at Income Eco Run

Audrey Tan Straits Times 29 Apr 18;

SINGAPORE - Mass runs are usually known for generating huge amounts of waste, but insurance company Income is trying to change that with its annual Income Eco Run.

Some 9,000 participants laced up their running shoes for the run on Sunday (April 29) not just to get their hearts pumping, but also in a race for a greener planet.

Of the participants, 2,000 of them were Zero Waste runners who declined to receive a finisher tees, race medal, or both.

Other waste-reducing measures at the event include the recycling of all paper cups used, as well as the composting of some 700kg of banana peels. The fruit is usually distributed during mass run events.

The green efforts from the run, now in its ninth edition, will be incorporated into a report by the Singapore Environment Council to calculate the waste generated per capita during the event. It is the first time that this is being done for the Income Eco Run.

Results of the report will be released next month, and Income will use the insights to set new green targets for the next run.

Income chief marketing officer Marcus Chew said it was encouraging to see runners committing to a journey towards zero waste.

He said: "Building a more sustainable future requires the collective effort of everyone, and we want to thank all our runners for coming down today. We hope that participants will leave today's run feeling inspired to take a step, big or small, to create a greener world and help Singapore become more future ready."