Just shy of two and a half years ago, during one of my black hole internet searches trying to find organizations that were doing something about the climate impact of athletic apparel, I found The Green Runners.
I didn’t know who they were and I didn’t realize they had just launched, but I gave them a quick follow on Instagram. I kept following for a few months but I didn’t think there was a place for me – an American – amongst their ranks. It seemed like a UK-only organization, so I followed along hoping I’d find another group closer to home.
Fast-forward a few months to August 2022. I hadn’t found anything else quite like TGR so I hoped that, just like climate change knows no borders, TGR would also know no borders. I signed up!
From trepidation to triumph
I came to TGR focused on running kit, and two of my three Pledges my first year were kit related (I also Pledged to only race locally for one year). But I kept an open mind as I learned from the group about the other Pillars. And eventually, in November of that year, I joined on as a volunteer with the organization.
Despite my initial trepidation about joining this group, I was welcomed with open arms by the incredibly committed, smart, and warm group of volunteers that had started this scrappy little group. I was now part of the team, ! And it made me even more focused on reducing the impact of this sport that I love so much.
I spent time writing about it, sharing about it on social media, and genuinely looking forward to our regular volunteer calls where I got to be part of shaping this (now global!) organization!
In August of last year, I eagerly renewed my membership, and my Pledges looked a little different;. A a little more mature. I made Pledges around How I Travel, How I Fuel, and How I Kit Up, but I really doubled down on How I Speak Out. After a huge year of personal growth with TGR, I pledged to educate where I could, to continue to learn where I could, and to constructively call out those who could do better while celebrating those who are doing the work.
Finally, I pledged to take risks and try new things. After all, it was taking a risk and signing up to join and volunteer with this group that got me here in the first place!
This past week, I got my annual renewal email once again. I thought back to last year’s Pledges. Over the last year, I stuck with my Kit, Travel, and Fuel Pledges, but most importantly, I stuck with my Speaking Out Pledges. Even outside of the world of running, I took classes about Climate Solutions, I networked like crazy, and I started a new job electrifying homes in Massachusetts and helping homeowners breakup with fossil-fuels.
Unrelatedly, I also took a step away from social media. Not with any real intention but the impact has nonetheless forced me to look for different ways of speaking out. Couple that with the fact that here in the US we have a pretty big election coming up in November. Climate change knows no borders and this election has the potential to have a massive global impact.
It’s time to speak out
So I found myself thinking about what Pledges I could make that didn’t involve speaking out on social media but would allow me to continue to grow as a climate activist, a Green Runner, and an American and global citizen.
So for year three, I have made a few Pledges and they are all around speaking out in one form or another. While I came to TGR hyper-focused on kit, I have come to realize that speaking out and engaging others is, in my opinion, the most impactful Pillar.
So with that, my pledges for year 3 as a Green Runner are to:
- Vote!!! No American can afford to sit out this election.
- Volunteer to make calls and write postcards to get out the vote in swing states and for down ballot candidates.
- Go plogging regularly and organize local plogging events – after all, I still want my Pledges to touch on running to some extent even as my mind is on the election!
In my time with TGR, I’ve gone from casual internet follower, to member, to volunteer. I’ve grown in my understanding of the impact of our sport on climate and also the impact this group can have beyond sport. I’ve seen a group that I initially perceived as a UK-only organization grow into a global organization with members across the world. As we go into these final two months before the election and I continue to use running as my primary form of stress-relief, I’m so grateful to be doing so as a member of The Green Runners.
For American Green Runners, registration deadlines are coming up and early voting starts soon in some states. Please make sure you are registered to vote and that you make a plan! Checkout vote.gov for state-by-state resources on how to register where you live!
