Feature
Green Sports Day 2024: ‘Climate Action is a Team Sport’
We all hear that ‘teamwork makes the dream work’ – and in sport, the phrase is particularly pertinent. From football, rugby, cricket and basketball to ‘individual’ sports like Formula 1, tennis and golf, the top stars will tell you that their success is contingent on having the right people around them to provide support, advice and coaching. It therefore follows that, for sports industry organisations that are focused on reducing the impact of the sector on the environment, a collaborative approach is essential. Indeed, it is widely acknowledged by advocates of the fight against climate change in the sporting space that the only way to tackle the issue is through collective action; otherwise, we will all lose.
The importance of collaboration was amplified on October 6 with Green Sports Day, an initiative from the Green Sports Alliance that celebrates the positive impact sports can have on the planet and its inhabitants.
It has been eight years since the first Green Sports Day was inaugurated by then US President Barack Obama.
In 2024, the ninth edition of Green Sport Day’s theme was ‘Climate Action is a Team Sport’.
Its purpose statement reads: “Green Sports Day is dedicated to integrating sustainability, environmental responsibility, and community action within sports. This day aims to inspire organisations, athletes, fans, and communities to join us in committing to more sustainable practices in athletics and to raise awareness about the impact that sports can have on our planet. To celebrate Green Sports Day, we encourage everyone to do your part to lead eco-friendly initiatives in sporting events, reduce the environmental footprint of your activities, and foster a culture of sustainability.”
Sports and entertainment organisations across the globe used the day to introduce new environmental sustainability initiatives, as well as celebrate continuous action.
Last year’s Green Sports Day saw 168 official participants across 14 different countries, taking part in digital media campaigns, community events and committing to taking climate action.
While this year’s number of participants has yet to be finalised, the Green Sports Alliance has highlighted several ways in which organisations marked the occasion.
“It's critical to our mission as an organisation to empower sports and entertainment stakeholders to tackle sustainability solutions, especially by learning from each other."
Major League Baseball held a community impact event and helped to beautify a park in New York with Partnerships for Parks, a voluntary organisation in the city.
Green Sports Day was celebrated in the Philippines for the first time, hosted by the Filanthropic Sports Federation. The organisation hosted a series of activities during Filanthropic Basketball League Season 4 games, including a Q&A. Additionally, 40 attendees signed a petition calling for the annual celebration of Green Sports Day in the Philippines.
Gillette Stadium highlighted Green Sports Day by lighting up its scoreboard.
Elsewhere, Moda Center – an indoor sports arena in Portland, Oregon – celebrated the elimination of 500,000 single-use cup thanks to a reusable serviceware programme with Bold Reuse.
The international participation of organisations is key to spreading the message around environmental sustainability – once again enforcing the theme that climate action is a team effort.
“It’s critical to our mission as an organisation to empower sports and entertainment stakeholders to tackle sustainability solutions, especially by learning from each other,” Brianna Cook, Senior Manager, Marketing & Communications at the Green Sports Alliance, tells Global Sustainable Sport.
“We believe that sports and entertainment have the power to drive meaningful societal change, and Green Sports Day is an opportunity to celebrate and amplify the progress being made within these industries.”
This year’s Green Sports Day had three pillars for participation. Impact Community implored organisations to engage with the local community through sustainability in sport projects. Demonstrate Leadership expected best-in-class, first-to-market innovations or commitments that have been made this year to improve sustainability, and Inspire Action asked organisations to challenge teams, leagues, fans and communities to step up the fight against climate change.
“We believe that sports and entertainment have the power to drive meaningful societal change, and Green Sports Day is an opportunity to celebrate and amplify the progress being made within these industries.”
Building an Alliance
Turning back the clock to 2010, the Green Sports Alliance was conceived and founded by Paul Allen’s Vulcan Inc – a company that manufactures and fabricates aluminium products – and the Natural Resources Defense Council in the US.
Inaugural members of the Alliance included the Seattle Seahawks, Portland Trail Blazer, Seattle Sounders FC, Seattle Mariners, Seattle Storm, Vancouver Canucks, the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, Green Building Services and Milepost Consulting.
The Green Sports Alliance celebrated its national launch in 2011, and the idea of climate action being a team effort has been ingrained in the organisation since the very beginning.
Since then, Green Sports Alliance Japan launched as an independent organisation, and the ‘Playing for the Next Generation’ campaign was introduced in 2020 to make sustainable behaviours and practices both relatable and inspiring for all. In 2021, Green Sports Alliance and Arc – which helps spaces and buildings to manage performance across energy, water, waste, transportation and human experience – teamed up to launch Play to Zero.
Play to Zero is a leadership recognition platform and sustainability performance toolkit for GSA members that aids progress towards net zero energy, water and waste.
More than just a day
Of course, the efforts of the Green Sports Alliance in supporting its members with their own sustainability initiatives are year-round.
The GSA has more than 250 members which it supports with their sustainability efforts.
In June, the GSA held its 2024 Summit in Los Angeles, welcoming over 700 participants. During the Summit, the Alliance hosted a community impact event, which saw volunteers clean up and beautify Estrella Park in LA.
Additionally, the Alliance worked in tandem with its Play to Zero partners to release two playbooks this year.
The first to be released was the Reuse playbook, which was created to inspire venues looking to transition from single-use to reusable serviceware.
“It will guide decision-making by outlining cost considerations plus environmental benefits, while providing a framework for transitioning to this sustainable practice,” explains Cook.
The second to be launched was the Energy Decarbonisation playbook, which is a comprehensive guide designed to revolutionise the way in which organisations approach energy consumption and decarbonisation in venues.
“The hope is to set a new standard for environmental stewardship in the world of sport and entertainment,” adds Cook.
Most recently, Green Sport Alliance announced a relationship with Global Sustainable Sport to continue to inspire the global sports movement to take decisive action, underlying the importance of establishing partnerships that can drive positive change.
Images & Video: Courtesy of Green Sports Alliance