Week 17: #Waves4Change 2020 Sustainability Challenge: Sign Up for 4 Miles 4 Water!
Why Take This Challenge?
Drink Local. Drink Tap. celebrates it’s annual run/walk event, 4 Miles 4 Water, each spring. The 4 mile distance commemorates the average distance many people around the world have to work to collect water daily. We’re only asking you to do this once.
This year is DLDT’s 10th anniversary, so you can imagine the energy and celebration we had planned! But, with the world now experiencing a pandemic, we had to change our plans to keep everyone safe.
Welcome to the new version of 4M4W, now an enhanced virtual event, taking place from June 20-29!
“How does one run virtually?”, you may be asking. Our new format means you can run/walk/bike/swim/rollerblade/anything from wherever you live, which means that for the first time in 4M4W history, our geographical reach is the strongest ever, with more than 10 states and 4 countries represented.
How Does This Challenge Benefit Me?
There are a myriad of benefits to signing up 4M4W, including (but certainly not limited to):
- You are supporting a local and international organization
- You are exercising, which is healthy for you
- It’s proven to relieve stress and improve moods
- Your registration fee is a donation and provides clean water for life to a Ugandan
- It’s a family-fun activity and great for all ages
- Anyone, anywhere, can participate
- You are helping DLDT provide clean water for life to people in Uganda
- We have prizes!
What If I Already Did This?
So, you’ve signed up for 4 Miles 4 Water and are wondering what to do next?
Have you created or joined a fundraising team? Even if you’ve registered as a participant, you can always return to your account and join a team or create a new one with friends and family. This allows for you to come together and continue your support for DLDT through the 4M4W event.
#Waves4Change: Become a Water Warrior and take action in your daily life to create #Waves4Change. This movement is only successful if we all take actions to decrease the negative environmental impact we make. Here are some examples of #Waves4Change actions:
- Purchase reusable straws and keep them on hand so you don’t need plastic straws
- Remember to bring your reusable bags to the store, and not just the grocery store! Your bags can be used wherever you go – library, clothing store, farmer’s market, etc
- Vote for people and policies that protect the environment and against people and policies that don’t
- Minimize/eliminate fast fashion. Donate your gently used clothes to secondhand stores and then also shop at those stores to decrease the demand for creating new items.
Whatever actions you take, post a picture and tag #Waves4Change so others can see your commitment and take actions themselves!
See Week 13 blog post to learn more!
Prep This Weekend for a More Sustainable Week
Start training for 4M4W! We are a few weeks away from the big event and with the weather (in Cleveland at least) finally turning into spring, it is a perfect time to get outside and move. Although many of us are still adhering to stay-at-home guidelines, if you feel comfortable moving around outside, this is a perfect time to start.
Don’t feel pressure to start clocking 4 miles a day if that is not something you’re already physically comfortable doing. Take your time and build your ability so you are ready by June 20th.
Still having a hard time feeling motivated? Grab a friend or borrow a neighbor’s dog, but make sure you maintain appropriate social distancing, wear a mask, and bring hand sanitizer.