Sustainability at the World Cup

The Loppet Foundation :: Events :: Fastenal Parallel 45 Winter Festival :: Festival Information :: Sustainability at the World Cup

The Loppet Foundation is committed to nurturing and protecting the natural resources entrusted to its care. That is why with the help of our Sustainability Partner NatureWorks we are working towards a number of green initiatives for the Fastenal Parallel 45 Winter Festival and the 2020 Coop FIS Cross Country World Cup Sprint Finals, including committing to zero waste principles for the event. These initiatives will help us protect Theodore Wirth Park and the planet by creating an event that adheres to highly sustainable development practices.

The International Ski Federation (FIS) has published its own set of regulated sustainability standards for the ski industry which will also be met during the event. The full list of FIS best practices can be found here.

FIS Joins United Nations’ Sports for Climate Action Framework

Zero Waste Principles with Responsible Sourcing

NatureWorks, a proud hometown partner of the event, is responsible for producing Ingeo™ which is a responsibly sourced biomaterial used in manufacturing compostable products including food serviceware – products made with Ingeo will be available throughout the event and properly collected for compost. You’ll see our zero waste efforts at the event in the following initiatives:

  • A 3-tiered waste approach will be used and clearly marked at the event:
    • Garbage
    • Organic Waste (Compost)
    • Recycling
  • All venues will use compostable, Ingeo-based food serviceware or china dishware. Recycling and composting receptacles will be clearly labeled and available throughout the event.
  • Vendors, including all caterers, will use recycling and organic waste composting containers and are encouraged to have low-waste offerings.
  • Beverages at venues will be sold either in compostable cups or easily recyclable aluminum cans; there will be no single-use plastic cups at this event.
  • Cleaning vendors will be encouraged to use reusable and green cleaning supplies.

Reduce Carbon Use with a Small Footprint

The FIS World Cup is taking place in an urban area. Public transportation is easily available to get to the race site. All attendees are encouraged to use public transportation and make use of the following transit options:

  • Light Rail from the airport to downtown Minneapolis on the Metro Blue Line
  • Take a Metro Transit Bus
  • Bike or walk to the site of the race – multiple bike corrals available

Want to offset the Carbon Footprint of your travel? Click one of the links below for options for Carbon Offsets:

Low-impact Transportation

  • Team Shuttles: All teams will be shuttled from their hotel to the venue and back.
  • Spectator Shuttles: Shuttles will be available to transport attendees to the race site from public transportation drop-off sites, remote parking lots, and the partner hotels.
  • Bike Corrals: The Festival will provide two bike corrals (one at either end of the venue) to enable easy, carbon-free travel to the events.
  • Vehicles using non-polluting or reduced-polluting fuels will be used where possible