BENGALURU: Annual running event Ananda Yana, which will be taking place on June 3 in the city, is all set to go completely green this week, with a complete ban on plastics. The run, which is in its sixth year now, is organised by various running groups in the city, such as the Jayanagar Jaguars, Indiranagar Runners and Soles of Bangalore.
While they have previously also taken the eco-friendly route, this time, the aim is to ban plastic completely from the event. The proceeds from the run will continue to go to the schools for children from disadvantaged backgrounds that Ananda Yana has been supporting over the years, including Thayi Mane, Shristi Special Academy and Sneha Care Home. "While we've always tried to keep away from plastic, this time, we have rented out steel plates, glasses and cutlery, which we plan on reusing," says Shiva Prasad, a runner and one of the coordinators. He adds, "At most runs, plastic bottles and cups are used at each station, but we are planning on using steels cups."
Telling us that all their efforts are for the kids alone, Shiva tells us that even at the finish line, the goodie bags that will be handed to participants, are made from jute by the students of Srishti Special Academy. Telling us more about their eco-friendly initiatives, Shiva says that the bibs on participants won't be made from paper anymore, instead, runners will wear cloth bibs. With over 1,200 registered participants and 200-250 kids taking part, the runners hope they will be able to educate the younger generation on the perils of using plastic.