How can football do more to reduce its carbon footprint?

[horsechoker]

Hi everyone, horsechoker here

Today's question is what football teams and clubs can do to reduce their impact on the environment

I find it silly that United fly to some domestic games when coach or train journeys would be far less harmful to the environment

Also the manufacturering of 3 brand new kits every season needs to stop. I think Brentford have decided to reuse their kit for a second season and I hope other teams follow suit

I'd like to see more teams use trains to travel to continental games, for example, Ajax could take the train to Paris (not sure if they don't already do that)

What other ways can football reduce its carbon footprint?

 

[SilentWitness]

https://www.fgr.co.uk/another-way

https://www.fgr.co.uk/eco-park

Support Forest Green.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Hi everyone, horsechoker here

Today's question is what football teams and clubs can do to reduce their impact on the environment

I find it silly that United fly to some domestic games when coach or train journeys would be far less harmful to the environment

Also the manufacturering of 3 brand new kits every season needs to stop. I think Brentford have decided to reuse their kit for a second season and I hope other teams follow suit

I'd like to see more teams use trains to travel to continental games, for example, Ajax could take the train to Paris (not sure if they don't already do that)

What other ways can football reduce its carbon footprint?

Do they have any solar panels at their facilities.

 

[horsechoker]

Do they have any solar panels at their facilities.

If the club is in Surrey hopefully soon

 

[Samid]

Have stadium cheese rooms run on solar panels.

 

[phelans shorts]

You can easily have turbines atop stands/surrounding Carrington to chip in too. As you say reducing the number of kits should be an absolute no brainer. Football absolutely should be setting a precedent with making these kinds of changes.

 

[horsechoker]

You can easily have turbines atop stands/surrounding Carrington to chip in too. As you say reducing the number of kits should be an absolute no brainer. Football absolutely should be setting a precedent with making these kinds of changes.

You can also install wind turbines inside the Etihad stands, there's plenty of space between fans

 

[Moby]

Switch to playing matches using VR, hence removing all kinds of travel.

 

[DickDastardly]

Also the manufacturering of 3 brand new kits every season needs to stop. I think Brentford have decided to reuse their kit for a second season and I hope other teams follow suit

Loved this from Brentford.
That should be a law. Two seasons per same kit for all.

Get everyone playing on turf? (mind you, i have no idea how much does it all cost and is there really a benefit from playing on turf and/or the consumpion of water for grass pitches...)

 

[romufc]

Its quite clear football does not care.

I say this based on a few things.

1. Qatar World Cup - Building new cities, stadiums for a tournament in a country that does not play football. The cost / emissions is incredible considering these are also Air conditioned stadiums.

2. Spanish super cup - The decision to play this in the middle east is Ludacris imo. 4 teams have to travel to another country, fans need to travel to another country to watch the spanish super cup.

 

[Samid]

2. Spanish super cup - The decision to play this in the middle east is Ludacris imo. 4 teams have to travel to another country, fans need to travel to another country to watch the spanish super cup.

How is this any different from pre season tours all across the world?

 

[TheLiverBird]

Travelling through Europe regularly I see wind Turbines up next to very large retail/industrial places, 5-6 very large turbines to power the entire estate.

I know some areas may not be suited for turbines being thrown up, possibly not even aloud the planning, plus locals rejecting them. But it’s got to be an option wether wind or solar surely for some.

Using planes for domestic matches is also ridiculous. Their coaches are incredibly luxurious for travel. Don’t be thinking of any luxury coach you might have been on….these coaches are paridise….a coach!!

 

[romufc]

How is this any different from pre season tours all across the world?

Pre season is for fans in other countries to get a chance to watch their clubs play. They are away for 2 weeks, not 4 days.

When its a competitive game, season ticket holders will want to fly.

I am sure you will agree that a season ticket holder might fly to watch pre season but no way is 40,000 fans travelling to watch that.

 

[The Corinthian]

Kits lasting 2-3 seasons is an easy easy win. I doubt clubs will do it as it’s a big revenue stream.

All domestic games should be travelled to by coach/train too. Again, another easy win.

They should also think about pressure plates under stands at games, that could/should power stadium lights or what have you.

 

[Spaghetti]

They could do more WFH like the rest of us. The players can train and play matches online, instead of travelling to the stadiums.

If not, they can stop using those big lights and either play matches during the day when the sun is out, or play in the dark.

Finally, and most importantly, they should stop planes flying over stadiums with “Horsechoker Out” style banners.

Definitely finally this time, fans with “Horsechoker can I have your shirt” style posters should be banned forever. No more carbon footprint from them.

 

[redshaw]

No night games.

Switch off the heating in the dressing rooms. Cold therapy is good for you.

Back to old style advertising hoardings that are sustainable and responsibly sourced. No more electrical ones with a computer running them.

 

[UnrelatedPsuedo]

Its quite clear football does not care.

I say this based on a few things.

1. Qatar World Cup - Building new cities, stadiums for a tournament in a country that does not play football. The cost / emissions is incredible considering these are also Air conditioned stadiums.

2. Spanish super cup - The decision to play this in the middle east is Ludacris imo. 4 teams have to travel to another country, fans need to travel to another country to watch the spanish super cup.

Stay the Fcuk up out their bizness

 

[UnrelatedPsuedo]

Decide to just start making less money.

 

[horsechoker]

They could do more WFH like the rest of us. The players can train and play matches online, instead of travelling to the stadiums.

If not, they can stop using those big lights and either play matches during the day when the sun is out, or play in the dark.

Finally, and most importantly, they should stop planes flying over stadiums with “Horsechoker Out” style banners.

Definitely finally this time, fans with “Horsechoker can I have your shirt” style posters should be banned forever. No more carbon footprint from them.

Sack Horsechoker
Sell Rimaldo

 

[horsechoker]

Ben Mee? More like Ben Us

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/62270153

Ben Mee: Ex-Burnley defender aims to make Brentford transfer carbon neutral

 

[tomaldinho1]

I always find it awful how these footballers have unlimited cash and you rarely ever see any of them in EVs.

On a broader point if you want to influence people en masse to stop buying ridiculous cars (bad for carbon footprint), pining after the Instagram lifestyle of travel (bad for carbon footprint), private jets (horrendous for carbon footprint), buying loads of clothes (bad for carbon footprint), jewellery (atrocious for carbon footprint - I didn’t realise how bad it was) etc etc. get all these guys who are highly influential to start caring about it.

Shout out to Foster, Thiago and Hazard who I saw have pushed the EV angle a bit although no doubt they have about 5 other cars as well.

 

[48 hours]

Travel by horse to away games. They could mosey on into town like in a Western movie

 

[JJ12]

@horsechoker you are like one of those mad professors who wastes all of their time and money on shit experiments and then just as their wife and children are about to up and leave them BANG they hit gold.

That’s your threads. Your gold is coming and we love you.

 

[Chief123]

Hi everyone, horsechoker here

Today's question is what football teams and clubs can do to reduce their impact on the environment

I find it silly that United fly to some domestic games when coach or train journeys would be far less harmful to the environment

Also the manufacturering of 3 brand new kits every season needs to stop. I think Brentford have decided to reuse their kit for a second season and I hope other teams follow suit

I'd like to see more teams use trains to travel to continental games, for example, Ajax could take the train to Paris (not sure if they don't already do that)

What other ways can football reduce its carbon footprint?

Stop players like FDJ flying around needlessly.

 

[Big Ben Foster]

2. Spanish super cup - The decision to play this in the middle east is Ludacris imo. 4 teams have to travel to another country, fans need to travel to another country to watch the spanish super cup.

Don't you dare blame Luda for this!

 

[baskinginthesun]

-Reduce meat consumption for team dinners and what not. If they can, switch to a plant based diet.
- Making kits last an entire season. I’m not sure how it all works but, it does seem the players come out in fresh new tops at half time. Whether they’re using washed kits or they’re new im not sure about. Also, using recycled material in the kits.
- Less travel. Build a schedule where a team can play 3-4 home games in a row or something.

 

[King Eric 7]

Don't you dare blame Luda for this!

Pimpin' all over the world isn't exactly friendly to the environment. I think he should take at least some blame.

 

[TheLiverBird]

Do any clubs put Solar power panels around their stadiums?

do any football clubs install wind power to electrify their training facilities?

Just a few genuine questions

as someone who travels through Europe regularly, I see many retails parks run off wind power

that isn’t me assuming “wind turbines near by, they must be hooking up the retail parks”

I’ve asked the question and they do

so perhaps something these clubs with owners worth 100’s of millions/billions could do

 

[Daslogisch]

Hopefully nothing. It's all BS. Another stupid narrative we're all suppose to follow. People will believe anything the media keeps feeding you...

 

[Zehner]

Hopefully nothing. It's all BS. Another stupid narrative we're all suppose to follow. People will believe anything the media keeps feeding you...

Ok boomer

 

[horsechoker]

Hopefully nothing. It's all BS. Another stupid narrative we're all suppose to follow. People will believe anything the media keeps feeding you...

Dasunlogisch

 

[Maagge]

- Less travel. Build a schedule where a team can play 3-4 home games in a row or something.

Presumably they'd have to play against an away team though.

 

[Sparky_Hughes]

Not fly to Hong Kong to play a team from 40 miles down the road for feck sake.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Hopefully nothing. It's all BS. Another stupid narrative we're all suppose to follow. People will believe anything the media keeps feeding you...

Bloody media, setting new hot weather records and causing record wildfires. What will they feed us next!

 

[Vidyoyo]

-Reduce meat consumption for team dinners and what not. If they can, switch to a plant based diet.
- Making kits last an entire season. I’m not sure how it all works but, it does seem the players come out in fresh new tops at half time. Whether they’re using washed kits or they’re new im not sure about. Also, using recycled material in the kits.
- Less travel. Build a schedule where a team can play 3-4 home games in a row or something.

Kits are a really good point. Most football teams should absolutely be in the firing line for how little they're doing on that front.

 

[youmeletsfly]

Meh, stop flying, I guess?

Transport and industry amass more than 70% of pollution, if I'm not mistaken. People saying football players shouldn't buy V8's or V12's are out of their minds, cars are not the issue.

On the other side though, I'm writing this from Bucharest where now there are 40 degrees outside, and yesterday there were 44.

Football and F1 should do jack shit about it though, industry and transport should be at the forefront of reducing their carbon footprint.

 

[Zehner]

Meh, stop flying, I guess?

Transport and industry amass more than 70% of pollution, if I'm not mistaken. People saying football players shouldn't buy V8's or V12's are out of their minds, cars are not the issue.

On the other side though, I'm writing this from Bucharest where now there are 40 degrees outside, and yesterday there were 44.

Football and F1 should do jack shit about it though, industry and transport should be at the forefront of reducing their carbon footprint.

It's about sending a message, though

 

[youmeletsfly]

It's about sending a message, though

I know. Sending a message would still not make any noticeable difference as long as industry and transport still do jack shit about it.

I get it's about sending a positive message out there, but it still won't make any difference.

Also, it's about how you send the message. For example, going electric, be it in driving or flying doesn't do jack shit for the environment in the long run, it only sounds cool so that idiots pay more to fly electric or to buy an electric car that's scrap metal in terms of technology and usability in 3 to 4 years.

 

[Zehner]

I know. Sending a message would still not make any noticeable difference as long as industry and transport still do jack shit about it.

I get it's about sending a positive message out there, but it still won't make any difference.

Also, it's about how you send the message. For example, going electric, be it in driving or flying doesn't do jack shit for the environment in the long run, it only sounds cool so that idiots pay more to fly electric or to buy an electric car that's scrap metal in terms of technology and usability in 3 to 4 years.

I disagree. Sending a message is important. If endorsement wouldn't work, then all those car manufacturers wouldn't be handing out their products to football clubs.

Awareness is key. Without it, consumers won't change their behaviour and consumption patterns. And ultimately, that's what drives change in the industry.

 

[tomaldinho1]

I know. Sending a message would still not make any noticeable difference as long as industry and transport still do jack shit about it.

I get it's about sending a positive message out there, but it still won't make any difference.

Also, it's about how you send the message. For example, going electric, be it in driving or flying doesn't do jack shit for the environment in the long run, it only sounds cool so that idiots pay more to fly electric or to buy an electric car that's scrap metal in terms of technology and usability in 3 to 4 years.

This simply isn’t true, where on earth did you get this from?