Abstract
The aim of this thesis is to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the attitudes and subsequent behaviours of runners in relation to the impact their sport has on the environment. We do so to enable and develop appropriate sustainability policy across the UK running scene in an attempt to minimise environment impact as well as to inform race directors of the most current environmental expectations of runners. The current literature was buoyant with research that the running industry is having a detrimental effect on the environment but lacking with regards to the attitudes and behaviours of the runners and if they could be the catalyst for change. We ask to what extent runners are part of the problem or are they in fact a vehicle for an environmental transformation. Using a mass participation survey (1300 respondents) as well as (6) selective interviews with figureheads from the UK elite/professional running community we show that runners are not only passionate about wanting to reverse the negative environmental impacts running can have but are also currently demonstrating abundant positive action at ground level. Runners are actively seeking change both in the way running events are staged and the way running kit and equipment is manufactured and consumed. The significance of this study is that it informs our environmental understanding of runners which can be used to further inform environmental and sustainability policy in running and inform race directors of the important role they can play in creating an environmentally astute running community.
Presenters
David MouldingLecturer in Sustainability Management and Ethics, School of Management, University of Central Lancashire, Lancashire, United Kingdom
