IPCC report - implications for Orienteering?

[SeanC]

This thread's a bit downbeat. Surely many people reading this have finished their course at Creag Dhubh. Now that's achieved, stopping global warming and saving the planet will seem easy

Seriously though, there will be lots of scope for practical ways orienteers can reduce their environmental impact, and it would be good if clubs could learn off each other. For example has anyone investigated mobile EV charging at events? I guess it's impractical right now, but something to keep an eye on. I suspect the trend in the medium term for 2 car households will be to have a cheaper low range electric vehicle (like a Skoda CITIGOe iV - £15k new) for local commutes, and a petrol/diesel for longer journeys. So if we can persuade more people to take the little EV that will help.

[Mrs H]

I've been thinking about this too.

Instead of placing the emphasis of transportation on the event organiser (who already has more than enough to think about) surely it should be on individual participating clubs?

It's not uncommon for clubs going to the CompassSport Cup Final to lay on a coach and possibly even make a weekend of it. If we want the sport to continue in any semblance of its traditional form and be greener then this should be the expectation at larger and national/championship events.

Clubs should organise coaches from easily accessible locations with good public transport access (Park and Ride? We must have good links with local councils by now - use them). Those from out-lying area will be able to drive that far at least - possibly in their cheap EV!

This would cut down a lot of emissions and also ease the car parking requirement at the other end not to mention the social aspect. Win,win win!

[SeanC]

I agree Mrs H, club coaches are good. However on their own I don't see them making a big impact simply because most clubs are too small to fill a coach for even the most attractive regional or national event.

Surely this is something for clubs and organisers to work on? And BO, and regions, and event system providers etc etc.

For example with car sharing (or lack of), organisers could encourage it by grouping club start times together unless competitors asked otherwise, and clubs could investigate why their club members don't car share (which might be because club members don't know each other that well so reluctant to car share, so more social events needed). Entry systems could help by emailing a list of whos going to events in your club a week before the event.

I think there are orienteers who would be happy to car share, even with strangers from a different club, and those that just want to go on their own or with their family. We really need a way of helping the first group, who might be a minority. Does anyone fancy writing a car sharing application for car sharers? Ie put your name and address in, and whether you want to be driven or drive or both, then update occasionally with event entry details (ideally automatically fed from Fabian4, SIEntries, racesignup etc)? Then users could get alerts before the event ie: "Dave from DodgyO is going to the event and passing within 10 miles of your house on the way to the Grimthwack Regional, click here to arrange a car share" etc.

[spitalfields]

I think there are orienteers who would be happy to car share, even with strangers from a different club, and those that just want to go on their own or with their family. We really need a way of helping the first group, who might be a minority. Does anyone fancy writing a car sharing application for car sharers? Ie put your name and address in, and whether you want to be driven or drive or both, then update occasionally with event entry details (ideally automatically fed from Fabian4, SIEntries, racesignup etc)? Then users could get alerts before the event ie: "Dave from DodgyO is going to the event and passing within 10 miles of your house on the way to the Grimthwack Regional, click here to arrange a car share" etc.

In addition to the two groups you've identified, there are also those who don't have their own transport for whom this could make the sport more accessible. Particularly relevant to recruiting/retaining young adults, which as discussed elsewhere is currently ineffective at best, and the biggest threat to orienteering. This is perhaps an example of how a single development could potentially address multiple issues.

As for the details, many apps already exist, some of which allow private or semi-private groups. It's been a few years since I explored the details, but in principle something like this could be trialled relatively quickly and easily (though there may be costs). Perhaps a bespoke orienteering travel app would be better, though I would think that some prior proof of concept utilising existing knowledge would help to get the design right. The problem with lift sharing is that it's always complicated in practice, though when it works it has many benefits.

[roadrunner]

Does anyone fancy writing a car sharing application for car sharers? Ie put your name and address in, and whether you want to be driven or drive or both, then update occasionally with event entry details (ideally automatically fed from Fabian4, SIEntries, racesignup etc)?

While the idea is good, don't forget the security aspects; if the data is available for anyone to see, they know that you're going to be out at a particular time; if they can also find your address, it's a golden opportunity to break in. Making it just available to others who've entered the same event would fix this, but I suspect that would be technically harder.

I remember that many years ago now someone in my club tried to encourage car sharing without much success. I think the stumbling block was that people wanted to combine their orienteering with other activities - some might want to go to a pub, some call on friends, some visit a National Trust place, some just get home as quickly as possible, etc. - and that made sharing unattractive. No harm in trying again, though - times have changed.

[Scott]

I've seen non-orienteering races actively pushing people towards https://racelifts.org/ in the past. It doesn't seem to be particularly active at the moment, presumably due to COVID. No doubt there are other similar services out there.

[roadrunner]

I've seen non-orienteering races actively pushing people towards https://racelifts.org/ in the past. It doesn't seem to be particularly active at the moment, presumably due to COVID. No doubt there are other similar services out there.

That site does seem to have addressed some of the security/privacy issues.

[Parkino]

Does anyone fancy writing a car sharing application for car sharers?

Yes, I would be interested. I currently own a car, but am reluctant to drive to more distant events as single occupant—as I said upthread, this is less about 'carbon footprint' than a desire for a more social experience and a need to save money.

[Parkino]

This short article (by Rebecca Solnit) was published yesterday: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/aug/23/big-oil-coined-carbon-footprints-to-blame-us-for-their-greed-keep-them-on-the-hook
Key quote:
"individual acts of thrift and abstinence won’t get us the huge distance we need to go in this decade"

[blindasabat]

"individual acts of thrift and abstinence won’t get us the huge distance we need to go in this decade"

That's exactly why I originally asked the question about how 'orienteering' as a sport might change in response to the report, and not how an individual's own actions might change.

[oo_wrong_way]

Does anyone fancy writing a car sharing application for car sharers?

Watch this space - a car sharing scheme will be available soon for events using racesignup.co.uk for online entries.