Come Sunday, 5 April 2015, runners will gather to raise awareness for the need to lower atmospheric CO₂ levels to 350 parts per million. Organised by Young NTUC, the upcoming NTUC Income RUN 350 is the 6^th edition of Southeast Asia’s premier eco-run.

On the significance of RUN 350, Mr Steve Tan, Executive Secretary of Young NTUC, said,

“Through a popular sport like running, Young NTUC’s intention is to bring more people into the 350 movement and help to inspire positive change. The CO₂ level in the atmosphere has hit 400 parts per million, a first time in 800,000 years. Youths of today must preserve a Singapore of the same or better environmental conditions for our future generations.”

Photo courtesy of Run 350.

Registration begun at the official launch at Raffles Green on Tuesday, 25 November 2014. Putting their green fingers to the test, the first 100 run registrants were given seedling packs to bring home and nurture.

Runners were encouraged to document and share their plants’ growth with fellow runners by uploading pictures onto their social media platforms and share them on RUN 350’s Facebook page. On race day, they can also proudly showcase their grown plants on vertical gardening walls –innovatively fashioned from reused plastic bottles – which will be installed at the race village.

Photo courtesy of Run 350.

Mr Marcus Chew, Senior Vice President and Head, Strategic Marketing and Communications, NTUC Income, said,

“All of us can create a better tomorrow by managing and using our resources responsibly today. This is true for our financial well-being – the right decisions made now can have a huge impact on our future especially in insurance planning.
It also applies to the environment, where every little effort to conserve what nature provides for us and every endeavour to reduce wastage can make a significant difference to the world our next generation lives in.”

RUN 350 2015 will have three categories. Competitive runners can look forward to the 21.1km and 10km, while children can sign up for the highly popular 800m Kids Dash. The age group for the Kids Dash has been expanded to include children aged four to 12.

An estimated 12,000 runners will run through the Kallang waterfront and past iconic landmarks such as the Sports Hub. The half-marathoners participating in the 21.1km category will get to race along Nicoll Highway, heading on to Gardens by the Bay before finishing off at the F1 Pit Building.

Early Bird registration closes on 11 January 2015 and normal registration will remain open till 28 February 2015. What’s more, NTUC members, nEbO members, NTUC Income policyholders, and loyal runners will stand to enjoy preferential discounts off regular race fees!

For more information, visit www.run350.com.

How do you incorporate eco-friendly habits with your runs and/or workouts? Share your green tips with us in the comments below!