ITU cites TRAP's Green Triathlon

MANILA, Philippines - The International Triathlon Union (ITU), the international ruling body for triathlon, recognized and lauded the efforts of the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) in promoting the Green Triathlon, a global program of ITU following the recent workshop organized by TRAP for athletes, sponsors, officials and media.

According to ITU secretary-general Loreen Barnett, TRAP is the first national federation of ITU to launch the Green Triathlon Initiative which is in line with the international federation’s TriGreen program.

“We aim to create and oversee the implementation of a strategic plan that supports the ITU’s sustainability values, social, economic, and environmental. We also want to raise the profile of environmental impact in decision-making at all levels of ITU and we also support the IOC’s Sport and Environmental Commission specifically sustainable development. TRAP’s Green Triathlon programs are all aligned with these general objectives and we look forward to taking these objectives throughout the world of triathlon,” said ITU Sec-Gen Loreen Barnett.

On its part, TRAP organized the workshop to sustain its initial gains and is aimed at creating a long-term environment awareness for all triathlon stakeholders.

The one day workshop, held at the A. Venue Suites in Makati, generated practical ideas for reducing pollution and waste in triathlon events nationwide.

Through additional funding for its environmental initiatives through the IOC’s Olympic Solidarity with the assistance of the Philippine Olympic Committee, TRAP was able to expand and intensify its efforts in promoting environmental awareness, effect a lifestyle change among the sport’s stakeholders and get them to actively support TRAP’s Green Triathlon.

Among the speakers at the recent workshop were Greenpeace Movement’s Beau Baconguis, and Ayala Foundation’s Adel Licos. The first speaker shared with the participants its three-pronged program covering the community’s right to know the kind of environmental waste products from manufacturing companies and the materials used by these companies for their products under Greenpeace’s Detox campaign, and the solid waste challenge it faces.

Licos shared the various solid waste initiatives of the Ayala Group. Other speakers were a solar energy specialist and an ISO standards practitioner.

“We are very happy with the results and inputs generated from the workshop, its shows the our stakeholders are responding well to our call for more active efforts in supporting our Green Triathlon program and we are holding two more workshops within the first half of this year to integrate all of the ideas generated into a workable plan,” said TRAP president Tom Carrasco.