CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine (May 26, 2015) – The TD Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race has earned gold for its greening efforts from an international social and environmental assessment organization, race organizers announced Tuesday.

The Gold Level Certification from the Council for Responsible Sport followed a rigorous review of the TD Beach to Beacon’s environmental and social sustainability programs, which range from comprehensive recycling to reducing carbon emissions to raising money for charities and leaving a positive legacy in the community.

“This honor truly is a shining achievement for the TD Beach to Beacon,” said race founder Joan Benoit Samuelson, who won gold at the first women’s Olympic Marathon in 1984. “Thanks to  Fairchild Semiconductor, the sponsor of our greening program, as well as the hard work of Bruce Rayner at our green consulting partner, Athletes for a Fit Planet, the race has built a strong record of commitment to the environment – it’s great to see those efforts affirmed.”

The non-profit, Oregon-based Council for Responsible Sport , founded in 2007, provides objective, independent verification of the socially and environmentally responsible work event organizers are doing nationwide. The process is meticulous as event organizers are required to provide a detailed measurement and documentation of greening efforts and outcomes.

The TD Beach to Beacon achieved Silver Level Certification in 2012, but this time reached the Gold level by earning 50 of 52 certification credits applied for, according to Shelley Villalobos, Certification Director at the Council for Responsible Sport. The certification is valid for two years.

“(The race) earned gold with clearly documented efforts to reduce the environmental impact of the race as well as actively including community members to make it an inclusive event,” Villalobos said. “The Council commends these efforts and encourages other events to take notes from the TD Beach to Beacon as an example of how to host a responsibly produced event in Maine.”

Villalobos highlighted five areas of achievement at the 2014 TD Beach to Beacon that stood out to the Council:

• Diverted 85 percent of all waste generated at the event from going to the landfill through compost and recycling efforts.
• Offset the 5.6 ton ‘carbon footprint’ of event operations through Native Energy, making the event carbon neutral (not including participant travel).
• Redeemable bottles were sorted separately and sent to CLYNK for recycling, sending the proceeds from the deposits redemption to the 2014 race charity, Rippleffect.
• More than 100 participants utilized a bike valet service stationed at the finish line so that people could park their bike safely and take a shuttle to the start for the race.
• Finishers t-shirts provided by Nike were made from polyester made from recycled plastic, helping to close the loop on waste created at events while reducing demand for harvesting new materials.

For more details about the TD Beach to Beacon’s greening efforts, see b2bdevelopment.wpengine.com/green . The race also is seeking volunteers for its recycling and greening program for the 2015 race. Visit b2bdevelopment.wpengine.com/Volunteer for more information.

Athletes for a Fit Planet’s Bruce Rayner advises the TD Beach to Beacon 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.

“Earning gold certification is a rigorous process that touches all aspects of an event and requires broad-based support,” said Rayner. “The TD Beach to Beacon organization is exemplary because sustainability is part of its DNA.”

Gold certification could not have been achieved without a team effort from everyone involved in the TD Beach to Beacon, Samuelson said, including organizers, sponsors, volunteers, the host Cape Elizabeth community, spectators and runners.

“Running is a pure sport – runners are in tune with environmental changes by the nature of their daily runs and running experiences,” she said. “It only makes sense for a race that receives great acclaim and visibility to do its part to reduce the runners’ footprints throughout the event – from before they start the race until well after they cross the finish line.”

This year marks the 18th running of the TD Beach to Beacon 10K ( b2bdevelopment.wpengine.com ), set for Saturday, Aug. 1 in Cape Elizabeth. TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, is the title sponsor of the race, founded in 1998. The beneficiary of the 2015 race is Good Shepherd Food Bank , Maine’s largest hunger relief organization.

The TD Beach to Beacon 10K is one of the most popular events on the U.S. road race circuit, drawing runners from around the world and throughout New England and the U.S. to the picturesque coastal community of Cape Elizabeth. The race begins near the Crescent Beach entrance on Route 77, winds along tree-lined roads and past breathtaking ocean vistas, and ends in Fort Williams Park at the historic Portland Head Light, the most photographed lighthouse in the world.

For additional information about the race, visit b2bdevelopment.wpengine.com, and find the TD Beach to Beacon on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.