Circuit of The Americas wins the 2014 Environmental Award - Speedway Digest

Circuit of The Americas has won the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme’s 2014 Environmental Award for its sustainability initiatives during the 2014 MotoGP Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas.
The FIM Environmental Award encourages greater awareness of environmental concerns within the motorcycling world, and rewards significant contributions to the protection of the environment.The racetrack in Austin, Texas, and Yamaha Motor Racing shared the award, which was presented at the FIM’s season-ending gala in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, on Sunday, November 23.
The award is presented annually to individuals, clubs, manufacturers, circuits, or other organizations that have distinguished themselves by promoting environmental stewardship in the field of motorcycle racing.
“This prize is a testament to the dedication that the sport and our fans, staff, and volunteers have to caring for our shared environment,” said Edgar Farrera, Circuit of the Americas’ Director of Sustainability. “We are thrilled to be recognized for our efforts.”
Circuit of The Americas was recognized for its efforts during the MotoGP event April 11-13, 2014, including:

Providing 182,500 kilowatt hours of clean renewable energy via Austin Energy’s GreenChoice program — enough electricity to power 17 homes for one year;
Diverting 25 percent of waste materials from landfills: 6.37 tons of recycling and 1.86 tons of composting — nearly 50 times the weight of two-time world champion Marc Marquez’s Repsol-Honda RC213V motorcycle;
Offsetting 3,200 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (mt CO₂e) via certified carbon credits;
Dispensing 11,000 liters of free water to guests — enough to keep 23,000 water bottles out of landfills;
Being the first racetrack in North America to implement the FIM’s KiSS (Keep it Shiny and Sustainable) program; and
Encouraging guests to support the KiSS program by posting images to Twitter of themselves keeping Circuit of The Americas and MotoGP clean and sustainable.

The initiatives are part of Circuit of The Americas’ ongoing commitment to sustainability and the environment, including year-round recycling and composting initiatives, tall-grass prairie restoration and alternative-energy vehicle races. “We are grateful to the FIM for their commitment to our planet’s future, and appreciate that they have recognized our efforts.” Circuit Chairman Bobby Epstein said.

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Adam Sinclair

NHRA, IHRA, Motocross and other forms of motorsports Staff writer
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.