aw basics

IAAF’s global green CAMPAIGN

Global body leads by example when it comes to caring for the environment

PEOPLE are increasingly doing more to fight global warming and the latest organisation to enter the fray is the International Association of Athletics Federations.

The global governing body for the sport has started an ‘IAAF Green Project’, with the goal of increasing awareness in environmental issues, and the Project launches formally at the IAAF World Championships in Osaka, which starts this weekend.

The IAAF hopes people in the sport will follow its lead and IAAF president Lamine Diack says: “Athletics is the simplest style of sports to compete to one’s potential without using any specific instruments. If we let the global-scale environmental disruption go on, there would be no place for the human beings to do the very basic actions of running, jumping and throwing.”

To symbolise the Green Project, the IAAF has chosen for its logo a green track in the shape of a letter G, with a leaf growing out of the centre. This logo, the IAAF says, reflects the commitment of the sport to be a catalyst for increasing the world’s greenery.

Athletes who have got involved so far include two of Japan’s top athletes – the hammer thrower Koji Murofushi and marathon runner Naoko Takahashi – in addition to Ukrainian pole vault legend Sergey Bubka.

During the countdown to the start of the World Championships, the people of Osaka have also got involved in a charity run and walk event. This was held in the Tenjinbashi-suji Shopping Mall – at 2.6km, the longest mall in Japan – and a number of Japanese athletes joined the crowds such as Masako Chiba, a marathon bronze medallist from the 2003 World Championships.

Five ways you can help the environment

IN addition to generally reducing your waste production and energy consumption and increasing your recycling efforts, some ‘green ideas’ for athletes include:

► Run or cycle to work or school instead of using a car or bus.

► Recycle your old training shoes.

► Limit your travelling to events or make smart choices such as giving fellow athletes and coaches a lift in order to minimise the use of fuel.

► Do not litter. Put energy gels, safety pins, drinks bottles and other stuff in recycling bins and not on the floor.

► Run, jump and throw on natural terrain. Revel in the natural environment – run off-road and race over cross-country or in fell races – but do not damage it and leave nothing but your footprints behind.

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