Getting started with environmental sustainability
Where to start?
It can be difficult to know how to get started with making your group more environmentally friendly. Not all interventions have to be difficult or expensive, small changes add up.
Make a start by creating your own action plan for your group, if you can, assign a dedicated role with someone responsible for promoting change in your group.
The National Lottery Community Fund has a guide to writing your own environmental action plan which is accessible here – Making an environmental action plan.
Take a look at these resources from Buddle for sport specific help on going green
Travel
You can help you group members to be more environmentally sustainable in the way they travel to your sessions, including encouraging active travel, using public transport, and lift sharing to travel to and from sessions.
How do or could you travel when your team or club travel together? A little bit of organisation can go a long way.
Installing good quality cycle racks in a safe place can help promote your members to use it because they know their bike will be safe and that cycling is a viable alternative to the car. It’s also handy to 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.
If you have members from further afield or your activity requires equipment, could you install an electric vehicle charging point to support members with electric cars.
Kit & Equipment
Kit and equipment can be a big source of waste and cost for sports groups, but also a barrier to participation within communities.
Are there ways in which you can help keep your costs and impact on the environment down by repairing and recycling equipment?
Looking into the circular economy (not just one use or user and then landfill) and finding kit using donations or making donations to kit recycling programmes is a great way to give kit a longer and fuller life.
Think about your uniforms and kit – named clothing can’t be passed on when it’s outgrown, nor can things with specific dates on. Does your kit need to change every year and can age groups pass kit along?
Encourage your members to mend clothes rather than always replacing them when minor damage occurs. Buying good quality clothing often lasts longer so can be cheaper in the long run.
Some places to look for circular economy
Buildings – water and energy use
Have a look into your options for switching your electricity supplier to a green tariff or supplier.
Could you look at ways to make your building more energy efficient through insulation or even install a heat pump or solar panels to generate your own power?
Buildings can be big users of energy, even when activities aren’t taking place. Think about the energy you use in your building and minimise where possible.
What options do you have for water usage that is in the hands of your users – could you install low flush toilets and low flow taps?
Maintaining and watering outside spaces can be big use of water, how can you do this in a sustainable way?
Buildings – waste and pollution
When there are multiple users and multiple people responsible for waste, it’s important to consider how waste is generated and disposed of strategically. Think about how you could reduce the waste you produce and recycle what you can, but also how you implement this.
Small gains like switching paper towels to washable towels all add up. Use eco-friendly cleaning products and reusable rather than single-use items.
Your site – nature and biodiversity
Even a small site can accommodate a wildlife area. Build a bug hotel, create a pond or just leave a corner to grow wild. There may even be lessons on biodiversity you can teach your group and responsibilities you can delegate to them.
Create a wildlife haven in any outdoor space – cut the chemicals and encourage nature back in.
Find out more on the Buildings and facilities resource.
Negative impacts
Pollution, flooding and extreme weather can all affect how your group operates and the services you can offer.
For information on pollution in the water, this map can help you monitor your local area. Also check out the UK emissions map.
Flooding is a growing risk and can impact your sessions as sports pitches are often built on higher risk areas – the National Flood Forum has advice on flooding.
You can check your area in:
- England – use My Flood Risk
- Wales – use this map
- Scotland – use this postcode checker
- Northern Ireland – use this map
More and more we’re seeing hotter weather for prolonger periods, and sports activities can carry a risk of extreme heat in the summer months. Shade the UK have advice and guidance on how to ensure your participants are kept safe and well.
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.
It may take a bit of planning and forethought, but exploring local food and drink producers can make a big difference to the planet and to their business.
This is a complex area, with many confounding factors. For a quick start overview take a look at this BBC article.
Banking
Where you bank can have an impact on the environment, take a look at MotherTree’s league table to see how green your bank is.