A more sustainable triathlon

We want the Musselman to live forever. Triathlon requires clean air to breathe and pristine water in which to swim, welcoming communities, and happy participants. With growing awareness of our impact on this earth, the Musselman Triathlon has made a commitment to responsible race production.

For the past six years, the Musselman has introduced changes to the traditional event production model. Many are subtle, some are more pronounced - but all of them are meant to sustain this race and these environs for years to come.

Below you'll find a short list of ways we're trying to promote environmental and social responsibility. Mussel up and green up!

  • ReSport certification: The 2008 Musselman achieved certification as a more sustainable athletic event from the Council for Responsible Sport, a non-profit organization based in Portland, Oregon which administers a sustainability standard for athletic events. To earn this distinction, the Musselman met standards of environmental and social responsibility, and in 2010 we aim to improve.

  • Carbon offsets: In 2009, over 50% of Musselman participants chose to bike, walk, take public transportation, or offset 79 tons of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from travel to Geneva. These offsets support carbon-restorative projects like wind farms and reforestation. In 2010, we're again committed to staging a carbon-neutral event. Musselman participants can choose to offset their travel to and from the race during the registration process.

  • Sustainable fruit: During and after the race, athletes are served fresh fruit and juice from Red Jacket Orchards, a family-owned company located right in Geneva. Red Jacket employs Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices and is certified by Food Alliance as a sustainable producer of plums, apricots, and prunes.

  • Finisher medals: Instead of buying bulk from China, the 2009 Musselman decided to craft its own finisher medals locally. Throughout the year, the Geneva Bicycle Center and organizing committee members saved, cleaned, and polished over 900 used bicycle cogs. The shiny discs were attached to lanyards made from organic cotton and presented to athletes at the finish line. There's a picture here.

  • Recyclable bib numbers: The 2010 Musselman will provide all athletes with bib numbers from Recycle Racing made from recyclable (#5) plastic. Typically, bib numbers are made from environmentally-harmful tyvek. Save your bib number as a momento, or put it out with the recycling!

  • Bamboo race shirts: In 2007, the Musselman became the first race in the country to provide shirts made out of bamboo to all athletes. Bamboo represents an effort to move away from cotton, a crop which uses large amunts of water and is typically subjected to heavy applications of toxic pesticides. In 2010, all athletes will again receive soft, long sleeve bamboo shirts as the official race shirt.

  • Organic cotton for volunteers: Over 650 people give their time to make the Musselman special. Why would we not thank them with something non-toxic to the environment and their skin? For the fourth year in a row, all volunteers will receive a race shirt made from 100% organic cotton.

  • Water-based inks and charcoal: The bamboo race shirts are printed using water-based inks, which eliminate the need for the harsh chemicals and processes of traditonal screenprinting. Charcoal is added to the bamboo threads to create wicking properties, an eco-friendly alternative to treating polyester with chemicals.

  • No paper registration: In attempts to reduce waste, we've eliminated one bastion of event irresponsibility: paper-based registration forms. With a perfectly good online registration system, why would we use paper?

  • Participant carpools: Musselman participants can use an online, interactive map of all participants to arrange carpools to and from the race, thereby cutting down on harmful greenhouse gas emissions and saving energy. Plus it's more fun to travel together.

  • Recycling: Since 2005 the Musselman has practiced extensive recycling over the course of race weekend. From cardboard to glass and plastic, the deliberate separation has diverted thousands of pounds of trash from the landfill. We ask your help in using the recycling bins provided!

  • Charitable giving: Sustainability does not end with the natural environment. The communities in which we live must be nourished as well, especially those individuals and families with limited resources. In 2009 the Musselman donated over $22,000 to local charities and service organizations. Since 2004 we have donated $61,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Geneva to support their crucial work.

  • Team Mussel: One of the most important, and entertaining, aspects of Musselman weekend is the kid's race, MusselKids. Each year a local fifth-grade teacher, Dave Soule, works with a group of children to prepare them for the MusselKids race and a lifetime of physical fitness. The Musselman is proud to support Team Mussel and Mr. Soule's efforts to bring the joy of fitness to children in this community.
UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot... nothing is going to get better... It's not.
--The Lorax