Overcoming Challenges: Mesa Marathon's Green Success Story

The recent Mesa Marathon, a hallmark event in Arizona, brought together 9,000 enthusiastic runners and fans for a day of exhilarating races and community spirit. However, what made this year's event particularly memorable was the unexpected challenge posed by a full fifteen hours of nonstop rain – a rare occurrence in Mesa, Arizona.

Despite the uncharacteristic weather, the Mesa Marathon and its dedicated Green Team rose to the challenge, demonstrating resilience and commitment to sustainability in the face of adversity. With cardboard waste becoming non-recyclable due to the rain, the Green Team knew they had to adapt their strategies to maintain their waste diversion goals.

Deploying volunteers and staff as Bin Guards and Waste Sorters, the Green Team worked tirelessly to educate attendees about proper waste disposal and ensure materials were sorted correctly. Through their efforts, over 2.9 tons of recyclable materials and donated food were diverted from the landfill, despite the challenging conditions.

​The Green Team partnered with a local women's safe housing program, The Olive Press, to donate leftover food from the event, redirecting 3,158 meals that would have otherwise gone to waste. This collaborative effort not only minimized the event’s environmental footprint, but also served a greater social purpose, highlighting the importance of community partnerships in sustainable event management.

The success of the Mesa Marathon's sustainability initiatives would not have been possible without the support of key partners:

• Brooksee Event Productions: Thank you for your commitment to sustainability and seamless event execution.
• City of Mesa Solid Waste Department: Thank you for your collaboration in ensuring recyclables were properly processed.
• The Olive Press: Thank you for graciously accepting food donations for your women's safe housing program.
• Waste Not AZ: Thank you for providing the connection to The Olive Press.​

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Tyler Monson, Mesa Marathon Race Director, expressed his gratitude to the Green Team, acknowledging their invaluable contribution in ensuring the event's success, “I can't thank you and your team enough, especially at a venue with thousands of runners. If your team hadn't been there my crew would have been working another additional day to ensure the venue was cleaned up. Over the past three marathons we’ve collaborated, my event production team doesn’t even have to think about the waste portion of the event. I cannot stress enough how helpful the Green Team is!" - Tyler Monson, Mesa Marathon Race Director, Brooksee
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​Looking ahead, the Mesa Marathon and its Green Team are poised to build on their success, with plans already underway for the 2025 event. As they continue to prioritize sustainability and environmental stewardship, they invite other events in Maricopa County to join their mission and Schedule a Discovery Session to explore a green event solution partnership.
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In conclusion, the Mesa Marathon's triumph over adversity serves as a testament to the power of collaboration, resilience, and sustainability. Despite the challenges posed by inclement weather, the event emerged as a shining example of responsible event management, leaving a positive impact on both the environment and the community it serves.
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Thank you to those who made this impact possible
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Partners

• Tyler Monson
• Heather Long
• Isaias Garcia Romero
• Karina Gutierrez​​

• Sarah Gomez
• Security Henry Eccles 
• Lauren Grace
• Danielle Mullins-Anderson

Green Team

• Ashley Weisman
• Alen Jakupovic
• Joseph Weeks
• Justin Weisman
• Brian Pierce
• Sydney O’Connor
• Kayla Jones
• Rey Guirette​​
• Yasmin Calderon  

• Caitlin Squires
• Paloma Chavez
• Christopher Savastano  
• Katie Egan
• David Borquez
• Damiana Rosta
• Larissa De Matos Santamaria

• Lizeth Mendoza Vargas
• Brianna Paxton
• Tara Johnson
• Jordan Allizadeh
• Caroline Ayala
• Kristen Wong
• Delaney Wade

​Hosting an Event?​

Schedule a Discovery Session

Interested in Volunteering?

Join the Green Team