Getting started with environmental sustainability

Group shot of cyclists with bikes

Travel

Encourage active travel, public transport and lift sharing for your members to travel to and from sessions. Think about how you could travel when your team or club travel together.

Install good quality cycle racks – if your cycle parking isn’t high quality people will not use it. Have a cycle pump and a few tools in case of emergency repairs in a cupboard for any cyclists who arrive with a flat tyre.

Could you install an electric vehicle charging point?

group of children wearing red sports kit playing in the sunshine

Kit

Repair and recycle equipment

Look into circular economy and finding kit using donations

Think about your uniforms and kit – named clothing can’t be passed on when it’s outgrown. Does your kit need to change every year?

Encourage mending clothes rather than always replacing when minor damage occurs. Buy good quality so clothing lasts longer.

Some places to look for circular economy

Action For Sport 

Ellen Macarthur Foundation 

Jog on again 

Kit Round 

More on buildings

Buildings – water and energy use

Could you switch your electricity supplier to a green tariff?

Or even install a heat pump or solar panels?

Think about the energy you use in your building – minimise where possible

Could you install low flush toilets and low flow taps?

Do you use water to irrigate outside space? Do you need to?

Buildings – waste and pollution

Consider how waste is generated and disposed of. Think about how you could reduce the waste you produce and recycle what you can

Small gains like switching paper towels to washable towels all add up

Use eco-friendly cleaning products

Create a wildlife haven in any outdoor space – cut the chemicals and encourage nature back in

boy drinking from a reusable water bottle on a football field in the goal

Food and drink

Check where food has been grown and avoid high food miles especially for foods that have been flown in. Choose local, seasonal produce and consider disposal of packaging when choosing. This is a complex area, with many confounding factors. For a quick start overview take a look at this BBC article.

More resources on this topic

Discover more learning resources

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