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closeBELLINGHAM - Ski to Sea organizers are taking a closer look at recycling efforts after more than 1,500 pounds of cans, bottles and other recyclable material had to be trashed after the 2008 race.
"The Ski to Sea race has been involved in recycling for many years ... but it has not been as successful as we like because some of the recycling bins were contaminated and had to be treated as garbage," said Ski to Sea Race Director Pete Coy.
Of the nearly 2,400 pounds of recycable material that the race generated in 2008, only about 30 percent could actually be recycled.
The other 70 percent became contaminated when negligent race-goers failed to put their aluminum cans or plastic water bottles into the proper recycling bins.
People may have had the most trouble recycling their food scraps this year. All 17 food scrap containers placed at the finish line in Marine Park were contaminated with garbage and could not be recycled, according to Sanitary Service Company records.
After examining the pitfalls of the recycling program, Ski to Sea organizers developed ways to educate the public on recycling procedures during the race.
"We wanted to go along the lines of 'leave no trace,' (an adage) that's been around for years in the hiking community, that could easily apply to a festival," said Mel Monkelis, Ski to Sea coordinator.
For 2009, Ski to Sea's Green Team will organize a group of "roving toters" - volunteers trained in the correct recycling procedures - to help the public put the right item in the right recycling bin on race day.
"When a person walks up to (a recycling station) and they're confused where the plates go or where the food goes, there will be a person there to tell them what goes in which bin," Monkelis said.
A training video on how to recycle on race day will be available on the Ski to Sea Web site in January.
Last year, Ski to Sea didn't have enough volunteers to pick out the items that people had mistakenly thrown in the wrong bins.
"We hadn't planned for it," Monkelis said. "You need quite a few volunteers that go through trash. What we want to do is catch them at the start so the trash doesn't have to sorted through."
In addition to improving the recycling system, Ski to Sea organizers want to reduce carbon output and traffic congestion by offering shuttle service to the starting line at the Mt. Baker Ski Area.
Monkelis said 1,000 or more cars drive into the foothills for the start of the race and are not allowed to travel back down until a certain time.
"You have a major backup when everyone wants to be the first one down the mountain," he said.
After May's race, Monkelis took a survey of racers and, of 85 percent who responded, most said they would be willing to ride a shuttle up the mountain if they could get down the mountain more quickly.
The shuttle will leave from Barkley Village and stop at Kendall Elementary School on its way up to the ski area.
Monkelis said he is not sure which transportation company Ski to Sea will use, but riders would have to pay a fee.
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