This virtual social distance run helps the environment
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- Celebrations of Earth Day's 50th anniversary are suffering due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This includes the 39th annual Run for Clean Air, a race that brings roughly one thousand runners to Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
It is considered to be Philadelphia's largest Earth Day celebration, courtesy of the ongoing work of the Clean Air Council. The member-supported non-profit raises over $120,000 each year in partnership with community sponsors. This funds various projects that aim to protect the environment and reduce pollution in the city, such as the implementation of clean air monitors.
Thanks to the power of the internet and social media, this year's event will still go on. Everyone is encouraged to sign up for a "virtual" 3K, 5K, or 10K walk or run. Picking a date and planning their path, each runner will have the opportunity to run while maintaining social distance.
Anyone who crosses the virtual finish line will be mailed a sustainably printed T-shirt and a stainless steel medal in the form of a reusable and portable straw. These environmentally-conscious trinkets are prized among yearly participants of the certified green event that produces no waste itself.
You can sign up to run anytime between April 18 and April 26 by visiting their website.
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