Football is the most played and followed sport in the entire world. It actively engages over 5 BILLION people. With 80,000 crowds, one game unfortunately creates a mass of landfill waste, never mind the chemicals involved in looking after the pitch.
But a small club in the English lower leagues – Forest Green Rovers aims to be carbon-neutral and change the world of sport.
Dale Vince, founder of the green energy company, Ecotricity, is a majority shareholder. Home | Ecotricity He knows that football is the most incredible platform for communication and has made major eco changes:
- The stadium runs on renewable energy.
- Shirts are made from coffee grounds and recycled bottles.
- Staff, fans and players are served only vegan food.
- The pitch is organic and tended by electrified machines.
- Urine from toilets is used as a fertiliser for the grass.
- And an electric team bus is in the development process.
In the beginning, supporters were scornful and sceptical. The results now? Food sales are eight times higher than before and the crowd is four times bigger. It is ‘nudge behaviour’ in action.
The club is in talks with organising bodies for rugby, tennis, and cricket. They also work with the UN, and are founding members of Sport for Climate Action: a global program to reach people through their favourite sport and encourage them to become ‘environment fans’.
Sports for Climate Action | UNFCCC
You can find out how they became the greenest football club in the world:
Creating the Greenest Football Club in the World – Forest Green Rovers | United Kingdom | UNFCCC
And there is another item on Vince’s wish list: FIFA to be environmentally responsible.
Exciting news: the image shows Zaha Hadid Architects’ design for FGS’s new sustainable stadium and eco-park. 💚