Chico Wildflower bike race goes green

This year’s Chico Wildflower bike race was greener than ever.

The Chico Velo Cycling Club’s annual race was held May 1. The club partnered with trash-collection outfit Waste Management in an effort to reduce waste at the event, which draws thousands of bike enthusiasts to Butte County each year. Riders were encouraged to compost and recycle, and vendors paid close attention to the amount of packaging and bulk used at their booths.

WM collected nearly 3,800 pounds of aluminum, paper and other recyclable materials, according to a press release. It also collected almost 800 pounds of organic food waste. The partnership between the cycling club and WM helped the club divert an estimated 75 percent of waste generated at the event from entering local landfills, said WM spokesperson Justin Caporusso. The club hopes to make the race the first “zero-waste” cycling event in the North State.