Run for the oceans: the truth about plastic

June is World Ocean’s Month and for every kilometre that you run, walk, skip or jog between June 8 and June 16, 2019 adidas will donate $1 to the Parley Ocean School (capped at 1.5 million US dollars).

To join team Sleekgeek as we do our part to add to the kilometres and raise our share of money for this cause, click here.

We know that a life without plastic can seem inconceivable and seems almost impossible. The convenience and habits we have built around this product have been ingrained firmly into our lives. But remember, here at Sleekgeek, we are into the business of creating change. Healthy and sustainable change!

So just like with everything else, we want you to start small. Choose one thing you can do that will make a difference to your plastic usage.

Do you really need a straw? Why not say no to the takeaway cup or at least refuse the lid?

Here are some ideas on how to reduce your plastic footprint:

• Use reusable shopping bags when going shopping. Keep a few in the boot of the car so you always have them on hand.
• Ditch the straw or if you must have one, buy glass, metal or bamboo ones.
• Don’t buy bottled water. Get an awesome bottle and sip from that.
• Ask to take leftovers home in foil instead of polystyrene.

Just like our nutrition coaching and lifestyle philosophy, we believe that when something becomes a habit, it’s easier and requires less effort to do. So pick one thing you want to do and get started!

Need more convincing? Our friends over at Runtastic put together this great blog post and we wanted to share some of their insights.

Here are some facts about plastic:

• 12 minutes: the average amount of time a plastic bag is used before it lands in the garbage.
• 269,000 tons of plastic can be found in our oceans.
• 1 million seabirds and around 135,000 marine mammals die each year because of plastic waste.
• 300 million tons of plastic are produced every year worldwide. Compare that to 1950, when it was 1.5 million tons
• 4.7 billion plastic straws are used and thrown away each year — just in the UK.
• An estimated 6 times more plastic than plankton is floating in many parts of the ocean worldwide.
• By 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the sea.

Those are some pretty scary facts but you can do something about it by making small lifestyle changes and joining us as we #RunfortheOceans!

This weekend we are gathering in KZN, Jozi and Cape Town to kick off our crusade. We will be hosting our Sleekgeek Walks as a way to support our friends at adidas.

Here are the details for the Sleekgeek Walks:

• Cape Town Facebook event RSVP
• Gauteng Facebook event RSVP
• KZN Facebook event RSVP

So download the app, join the Run for the Oceans Challenge and Team Sleekgeek and let us get moving for a good cause! Plus you could win a R2000 adidas voucher!

How can I contribute to this amazing cause?

Step 1 – Download Runtastic, join Run For The Oceans and Sleekgeek

1. Download the Runtastic app on your phone.
2. Tap the Progress tab.
3. You can select Run For The Oceans under Challenges. Click Join Challenge.
4. Join the Sleekgeek Group on Runtastic so that we can measure our contribution as a community by clicking here.  – if that does not work, then search for the Sleekgeek group!
5. Start moving! Every kilometre you run between June 8 and June 16th counts!
6. Invite your friends so they can make a contribution. 

Step 2 – Log your Kms 8-16 June

How to integrate with other devices?

Once you have logged into Runtastic ON YOUR MOBILE PHONE you can connect to via your profile settings to:

• A Runtastic wearable
• An Apple Watch
• A Garmin device
• A Polar device

For Fitbit you can only connect via the Runtastic Website once you are logged in under “Settings” and “Devices” – for some reason you cannot set this up via the mobile app.

For other devices you will need to log manually as described below.

Manual recording of Kms (no device)

Do not have a fancy device? No problem. Use your phone and the Runtastic App to track your activity directly.

Manual adding of Kms from ANY other devices

Under “Progress” > Recent activities you will see an option to “Add an activity manually”

If you are going to input your activity from ANY device or tracker please upload an image of a screenshot of the activity as proof or of the Kms on your device display thanks.

See pictures below for a guide on how to do that:

• 

• 

• 

• 

How to invite others?

Once you in a group simply:

1. Click on “…” in the top right hand corner.
2. Then click “Invite Members” and you can share it via social media, WhatsApp, email or even copy it to share as you like! 
3. You can also send a direct invite to any of your friends who are already in the Runtastic Community.

Thank you for helping us make a difference to the environment!

Ps: For more information on the campaign click here.