Changing to a less waste driven society is something all of us need to be aware of. Using pedometers for just a month or so and then throwing them away is wasteful and harmful to the environment. The pedometers contain batteries and other electronic components that are toxic and contribute to contamination for our landfills. Further, the manufacture of pedometers relies on fossil fuel, the consumption of which is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Given most of the pedometers are in excellent working order, we should try to use them again.
Therefore, in planning the 2014 Pedometer Challenge, the following considerations have been made.
- Council will hold a collection drive to gather and redistribute working pedometers. If you have a stockpile at home these can be returned to the Council Offices or Aquamoves. Alternatively we can arrange to collect the pedometers from your office. If you plan to participate again, please re use your old pedometer.
- A minimal order of pedometers will be made for the 2014 challenge. These pedometers will have a step count function only, which will count up to 99,999 steps. These pedometers are $3.20 cheaper per unit than those purchased in previous years, which included distance travelled, calories expended and current time and time spent walking functions. Higher quality pedometers with these functions will be available to purchase from Aquamoves prior to the challenge, though are not necessary to complete the challenge. More information regarding the purchase of these will follow closer to registrations.
More than 7,000 participants have taken part in the pedometer challenge over the six years the challenge has been running. We would like to see the continued growth of this program, while ensuring continual improvement by investigating ways to ensure our practices are as sustainable as possible.
The Pedometer Challenge will run from 6 October 2014, with registrations from early September.