1. Engage Your Community

To make your club more sustainable and get everyone on board, don't just focus on physical changes. Instead, appoint eco-champions within your club to inspire your members, players, and staff to adopt greener behaviours. Regularly communicating plans and achievements to your members will also maximise engagement.

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2. Buy Local

Supporting local businesses not only makes your club a community asset but also helps the environment. Products, especially food, can significantly contribute to your carbon footprint when they travel long distances. Choosing local goods ensures better quality and boosts the economy of your area. Partnering with local suppliers not only strengthens community bonds but could also lead to future sponsorships.

 

3. Go Renewable

Consider transitioning to renewable energy sources like wind, solar, hydro, and biomass where possible. This not only benefits the environment but also saves your club on energy expenses.

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4. Lighting

Consider transitioning to renewable energy sources like wind, solar, hydro, and biomass where possible. This not only benefits the environment but also saves your club on energy expenses.

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5. Save Energy

Remember to turn off equipment in unused rooms and close windows and doors when using heating or air-conditioning to conserve energy. Ensure boilers are regularly serviced for smooth operation. Address drafts, seal windows, and doors properly to maintain a comfortable environment. 

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6. Conserve Water

Review your club's water use and promptly fix any leaks found through regular inspections.

 

7. Recycling

Set up recycling systems for metal, paper, cardboard, glass, food waste, and toner cartridges. Make sure reliable waste collection happens regularly from trustworthy suppliers. Place recycling bins next to general waste bins and display posters with instructions, making it easy for everyone to follow.

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Consider recycling unused sports gear too. Many clubs, especially in junior and youth football, spend a lot on new gear. Continually buying new gear contributes to climate change through the manufacturing process. We've teamed up with Football Rebooted to help them reach their goal of saving one million pairs of football boots from ending up in landfills. For more information, click here.

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8. Go Paperless

Encourage the use of electronic communications and digital platforms to cut down on paper waste, ink cartridges, and electricity use. This is especially relevant for sports clubs that often have programmes and materials to engage with members, players, and fans.

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9. Green Your Travel

Encouraging players to carpool to training or matches is an easy way for your club to become more sustainable. If your sports facility is easily accessible, promote it as a convenient public transport hub to encourage the use of trains and buses instead of individual cars. Consider providing incentives for carpooling, such as preferred parking for shared rides. Additionally, your club could collaborate with local transportation services to explore discounted rates for using public transport.​

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10. Footprint Tracking

While there may not be a universal requirement for sports clubs to measure their environmental impact, it is increasingly becoming a best practice and a responsible approach. Measuring environmental impact, such as carbon emissions, water usage, and ecological footprint, helps clubs understand their contribution to environmental issues and provides insights into areas for improvement. It will also assist your club in identifying areas where cost savings can be achieved.

 

To explore our carbon footprinting services for sports clubs, click here.