WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY?
Defined by the Brundtland Commision of the United Nationals on March 20, 1987: "sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
From the corporate aspect, Sustainability is how a business entity such as GC Racing can structure itself as a commercial enterprise maximizing its triple bottom line - economic, ecological, and social - also know as people, planet, & profit.
HOW DOES SUSTAINABILITY APPLY TO GC RACING?
GC Racing, LLC is a business whose triple bottom line goals are to:
(1) Economic - Service its customers providing results & timing services while generating revenue and helping with economic development.
(2) Social - Using its technology & equipment to provide accurate & timely race results for event participants.
(3) Ecological - Minimizing its carbon footprint through the use of conservation, reduction, and adaptation.
WHY IS SUSTAINABILITY IMPORTANT TO GC RACING?
GC Racing recognizes the need to become more in tune with the environmental, the economic market, and the social needs of its customers. Even though GC Racing is a small operation whose annual revenue is miniscule compared to other small business and larger corporations, GC Racing believes it can make its stance on Sustainability through inexpensive measures while at the same time maximizing its Triple Bottom Line. It is not hard to be sustainable. You just have to think what are you doing now and how can you better yourself for the future. This is what GC Racing believes in.
WHAT IS GC RACING DOING TO ENCOURAGE SUSTAINABILITY?
Below are a couple of GC Racing's developmental areas as it works towards Sustainability.
USAGE OF PAPER
In sporting events, especially competitive cycling, there is an enormous amount of paper used throughout the duration of the event. Every process in the execution of the event uses at some point a piece of paper that is used for one purpose before it is discarded. Before GC racing was introduced to competitive cycling in Washington, the usage of paper was enormous. As GC Racing became more involved in Washington cycling, the reduction of paper has made a difference but there is still work to be done.
ENERGY USES
To power its electronic equipment, GC Racing uses a gasoline powered generator to generate the required electricity to run its equipment. In the selection of the generator, GC Racing chose an environmentally friendly product, the Honda EU2000i generator, due to its minimal noise pollution and long operating capabilities with a tank full of gasoline. However, the generator still consumes gasoline, a product created from a fossil fuel, generates greenhouse gases, toxic and environmentally harmful byproducts, and the generator still creates a level of noise pollution. The usage of this product does not meet GC Racing's sustainability requirements.
THE FUTURE OF GC RACING
PAPER USAGE
As GC Racing moves towards Sustainability, it has already started its process on the reduction / elimination of paper usage at events it services. With the onset of smartphones, tablets, and other electronic devices the need for paper is becoming less and less. We can just as easily create a PDF of the results and post that PDF to a website accessible by anyone with an internet ready device. We can also post the results of the race on the internet before riders return home and can even push results to the internet as the race is going on.
ENERGY USAGE
GC Racing is working with a local supplier in Seattle, WA, to create a photovoltaic (solar) electrical generation system capable of electrifying GC Racing's equipment while eliminating the usage of a fossil fueled generator. For events where the sun is shinning, GC Racing looks forward to using nature to power its electronics eliminating the production of greenhouse gases and the noise pollution created by its generator.