Green Initiative

The Houston Marathon Committee’s Commitment to Sustainability

We are committed to producing sustainable events by educating our participants to reduce their carbon footprint and offering sustainable waste initiatives throughout race weekend. Please help us continue our efforts to go green by using our waste stations, contributing to our shoe drive at EXPO and consider your travel to the event by ridesharing or public transport!

Beginning in 2012, the Council for Responsible Sport awarded the Chevron Houston Marathon with Gold Certification for nine years for its achievements in hosting the Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon.

Waste stations consist of bins for recycling and trash and are staged throughout our indoor and outdoor event facilities.

Some of our sustainability initiatives include:

  • Encouraging EXPO vendors to minimize and recycle packaging
  • Implementing a ban on polystyrene (Styrofoam)
  • Donating all discarded clothing on the course to local homeless shelters
  • Collecting gently used shoes at the EXPO for donation
  • 100% paperless registration for both race participants and volunteers
  • Virtual Goodie Bags
  • Utilizing filtered hydrant water at all course water stations, reducing the need for plastic bottles
  • Composting all water and electrolyte cups used at the Refueling Stations on-course
  • Providing environmentally friendly portable toilets

How you can help us be more sustainable:

  • Bring your gently used shoes to the EXPO where they will be donated
  • Reduce your carbon footprint on race day by taking public transit, or sharing a ride with friends and family
  • Consider volunteering for a shift with the Green Crew during race weekend to help with our recycling and composting effort
  • Use a reusable bottle on race day and refill it at the refueling stations along the course

The Houston Marathon Committee’s pledge to social sustainability

The Houston Marathon Committee is committed to respecting and including athletes and volunteers of all abilities, and not to discriminate on the basis of age, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, race or religion. If you have comments or suggestions for how we can enhance and strengthen this commitment, please contact the race organizers.