The 48th Head of the Schuylkill Regatta is an official Philadelphia Zero Waste and Litter Event. We also strive for Zero single-use plastic water bottle at the regatta. Specifically, our goals include:
- Zero litter at all times over the entire regatta grounds, including each team’s tent area
- No individual size (smaller than 1 gallon), single-use plastic water bottles
- All recyclable materials separated
- All food waste, with the exception of meat products, separated for composting
- 50% or more of all wastes generated are recycled or composted
Big goals – yes. However, with your leadership and a team effort, we think it can be accomplished.
As we have for the past three years, we will provide the large blue WaterMonsters for you to fill and refill water bottles and containers – large and small. The permanent water stations along the Kelly Drive sidewalk at the grandstands and upstream from St. Joe’s boathouse will be active as well. Please note, that we have a limited supply of refillable water bottles this year as we believe that most rowers and spectators carry their own. Please bring your favorite reusable water bottle.
Here is how we can together achieve these goals. Kindly:
- Instruct all attendees to bring refillable water bottles; teams should bring large water containers and reusable or compostable paper cups to distribute water to athletes and spectators. Do not bring single-use water bottles smaller than 1 gallon.
- Maintain a three-bag waste management system – trash (black or dark green), recyclables (blue or clear) and compostables (green) – in your food tent area. If you do not already have blue and green bags, there will be stocks available at the WaterMonster and Information stations.
- Maintain zero litter and a two-bag or three-bag system at your team’s boat trailers.
- Share the attached chart in a prominent location for all to see. Monitor the three-bag system for performance.
- Place filled bags next to a green trash barrel along the Kelly Drive sidewalk. Do not place any of these bags inside a trash barrel.
- Assign responsibility to athletes and parents for patrolling the grounds for litter – we seek to be litter free every minute of the regatta.
- Please breakdown cardboard boxes. Take them to a designated location outside the vendor tent or place them next to the barrel sets at the end of the day.
- Carry in, Carry out and rely upon reusable products like plates and cups when possible.
Please message all of this information to all athletes, parents and others before and frequently during the regatta. Regatta Zero Waste and Litter Volunteers will be circulating during the regatta (look for the white baseball caps with our REfill REuse REgatta logo). Please welcome them, heed their suggestions, and use them to support you efforts. Together, we can make a real difference. THANK YOU!