Recycling at the Race

The Komen Portland Race for the Cure® is not only one of Portland’s largest and leading fundraising events, it is also one of the most environmentally conscious when it comes to implementing waste reduction opportunities. With the exception of a few other sustainability leaders, most of the large scale public outdoor events on Waterfront Park have recycling rates of less than 35%. Over the past four years, the event’s recycling rate has held steady in the upper 70th percentile (76-79%). Portland's Race was the first and continues to be one of the only large scale public events in the region to have a successful public compost program . Similar events have recently implemented this effort based on the Race's outstanding model.

Additionally, over 100 volunteers annually are dedicated to the Green Team wherein they are responsible for the set up of recycling receptacles, directing the public to properly dispose of their materials, and sort through trash, compost and recycling to maximize contamination reduction and landfill diversion. The race also lessens its impact on the environment by choosing to use wax paper cups along the Race course so that all cups can be collected and composted as well as collecting hard to recycle items such as plastic film and plastic clothing hangers that are coordinated for recycling with a local recycling company. All left over durable goods (bags, full water bottles, etc.) are donated to local schools and non-profit programs that have use for them.

Because of the Race’s cutting-edge waste-reduction efforts it is not only one of Portland’s premier fundraising events; it is an event that truly reflects the environmentally conscious attitude of the community it serves.

Elysium Events is an event company with a conscience providing sustainability based solutions to events in the Pacific Northwest. In a collaborative effort with Elysium Events, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® maintains status as a regional leader for their environmental efforts through extensive public recycling and composting at the event.

Download a PDF brochure for more information.

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