Leading running company honored for environmental stewardship and eco-friendlier technology
BOTHELL, Wash. - (December 2, 2008) - Performance running
company Brooks Sports, Inc. has been honored with three Mother Nature-approved
industry awards. Footwear News, the leading trade publication for the
entire footwear industry, awarded Brooks its 2008 Green Award, while top
running publications Runner's World and Trail Runner gave public high-fives
to Brooks' eco-friendlier technology, BioMoGo. Runner's World presented
Brooks and BioMoGo with its 2008 International Green Award and Trail Runner
planted its first-ever Sprout Award on BioMoGo for "Best Green Innovation."
"At Brooks, we believe runners care about the
environment and we need to reduce our impact whenever possible,"
said Jim Weber, president and CEO of Brooks. "We haven't figured
it all out, but we're working hard at providing a more sustainable running
experience, and these awards confirm we're taking steps in the right direction."
Footwear News 2008 Green Award: The leading footwear
trade publication trumpets Brooks' efforts to be more sustainable, which
include eco-friendlier technologies like BioMoGo and HPR Green, waste-reducing
manufacturing practices like Compression Molded Preform (CMP), and shoe
boxes made from 100-percent recycled paperboard and non-toxic, soy-based
inks. Footwear News will present the Green Award to Brooks on Wednesday,
December 3, at the publication's 2008 Achievement Awards Breakfast. All
Achievement Award winners are also featured in the magazine's annual FN
Achievement Awards issue, on newsstands today.
Runner's World 2008 International Green Award: Presented
to a technology or company that best addresses the environmental impact
of running, the leading running magazine's International Green Award has
only been awarded twice in the past three years-both times to Brooks.
This time it was to honor Brooks' Trance™ 8, which launched in July
2008 with the inclusion of BioMoGo, the first-ever biodegradable running
shoe midsole. BioMoGo is designed to break down 50 times faster than traditional
Ethylene Vinyl Acetate™ (EVA) midsoles, saving 29.9 million pounds
of landfill waste over a 20-year period. Brooks' revolutionary midsole
stole the green spotlight at Runner's World's 2008 International Shoe
Summit in November.
Brooks previously took home the Runner's World Innovation
Award in 2006, for its pioneering use of HPR Green-an environmentally
friendly, non-petroleum based outsole rubber-in combination with its use
of CMP technology in its manufacturing process. This manufacturing process
reduces material waste by more than 50 percent, while increasing material
consistency. CMP also saves steps and time, reducing labor and energy
outputs.
Trail Runner 2008 Sprout Award: BioMoGo also grabbed
Trail Runner's Sprout Award for "Best Green Innovation" in its
December "Green" issue, available on newsstands now. New in
2008, the Sprout Awards recognize a race director, company, community
leader, and innovation that have made remarkable steps to achieve environmental
and social consciousness during the year. Trail Runner's editors feel
BioMoGo will have "a direct impact on reducing landfill waste"
and applaud Brooks' open-source stance with the technology.
For additional information about BioMoGo and other
environmental stewardship programs from Brooks, visit: www.brooksrunning.com/greenroom