By The Wave

Media contacts:

Jonathan Lawson, Climate Solutions (206) 931-0565

Paul West, Gnosis Media (541) 499-5951

For immediate release

New Northwest coalition forms to address climate change

More than 100 business leaders and NGOs pledge to advance ambitious sustainability goals

SEATTLE, WA ? On January 15, some of the biggest brands in the Northwest will form The Wave, a coalition of diverse partners who pledge to work together to tackle some of the biggest sustainability challenges the region faces. The pledge may be viewed at jointhewave.earth.

Stakeholders will launch a social media campaign to urge individuals and organizations throughout the Northwest to join the mission and become part of The Wave by signing the pledge at jointhewave.earth. By demonstrating leadership in fighting climate change, The Wave will serve as a model for the nation.

The more than 100 stakeholders of The Wave will work together to advance bold sustainability progress for the Northwest in five key areas: 100% clean energy, clean and equitable transportation, zero waste, healthy and sustainable food, and clean air and water. They represent zoos, aquariums, science and technology centers, hotels, restaurants, universities, sports teams, convention centers, airports, ski areas, venues, commissions, landmarks, the food industry, exhibitions, non-profits, and corporations.

Following the launch, The Wave will host a series of sustainability symposia, where stakeholders will share best practices, form working groups, and advance initial on-the-ground projects designed to make progress in the five key areas.

As The Wave?s pledge states, ?We cannot wait. We will not wait.?

?The impacts of climate change are happening already and causing severe impacts across the globe like the wildfires raging in Australia and that have hit the Northwest and California at historic levels in recent years,? said Gregg Small, executive director of Climate Solutions. ?The combined reach of the diverse stakeholders of The Wave hold the potential to make a major difference in reducing carbon emissions and inspiring widespread public action that can demonstrate solutions that can scale across the nation.?

In addition to their own individual work on environmental sustainability, stakeholders in The Wave pledge to share tangible resources with one another in order to accelerate and intensify their results. ?We in the Northwest are uniquely positioned to serve and lead other regions in the country,? said Justin Zeulner, executive director of The Wave. ?The culture here in the Northwest is known for its embrace of sustainability in so many areas ? not only of our precious natural habitat and resources, but also for our vision for shared community, economic vitality, and social justice. We?re naturally drawn to collaboration, and now is an ideal time to take it to the next step with this coalition.?

The Wave and its stakeholders identify five key program areas on which to focus their energies and resources:

• 100% clean energy- make the Northwest the first region in the nation to be powered by 100% clean energy.
• Clean and equitable transportation- promote safe, affordable, and accessible clean transportation for everyone in the Northwest.
• Zero waste- honor the entire life cycle of materials to minimize environmental impacts and conserve natural resources.
• Healthy and sustainable food- transition to sourcing and producing food in the Northwest that is healthier for people and the planet.
• Clean air and water- ensure the Northwest has clean air and water for all species and all generations.

About The Wave

The Wave is a regional coalition who come together to accelerate environmental programs that mitigate climate change, engage youth, and strive for environmental justice. With a keen appreciation for the good work already being done by individual organizations, they recognize the need to do yet more.

Stakeholders include zoos, aquariums, science and technology centers, hotels, restaurants, universities, sports teams, convention centers, airports, ski areas, venues, commissions, landmarks, the food industry, exhibitions, non-profits, and corporations. Collectively, they reach millions of people across the Northwest every year. For a complete list, please see theWaveNW.com.

The Wave is a program of Climate Solutions, a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission of accelerating clean energy solutions to the climate crisis. More information is available at climatesolutions.org

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Stakeholders available to talk with media

Tim Kuniholm

Director of Public Relations and Strategic Partnerships

Seattle Aquarium

T.Kuniholm@seattleaquarium.org

(206) 386-4345

Kerston Swartz

Director, Public Affairs and Advocacy

Woodland Park Zoo

206.819.7487

Kerston.Swartz@zoo.org

Alan Varsik

Director

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium + Northwest Trek Wildlife Park

253-404-3634

alan.varsik@pdza.org

Mara Mote

Sports Marketing Manager

Seattle Sports Commission

MMote@seattlesports.org

206.461.5803

Jeff Blosser

President and CEO

Washington State Convention Center

Jeff.Blosser@wscc.com

206-694-5010

Scott Cruickshank

General Manager

Metro Visitor Venues (Oregon Convention Center | Portland’5 Centers for the Arts | Portland Expo Center | Oregon Zoo)

scott.cruickshank@oregonmetro.gov

503-797-1790

Heather Back

Communications and Policy

Metro Visitor Venues

Heather.Back@oregonmetro.gov

503-797-1811

Peter McGraw

Maritime Media Officer

Port of Seattle/Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

206-787-3446

Kate Hudson

Aviation Communications Manager

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

206-465-7826

Jordan Elliott

President

Pacific Northwest Ski Area Association

208-213-6169

Jordan@pnsaa.org

Danielle Cobb

Marketing Communications Manager

Pacific Science Center

Send media requests to: pr@pacsci.org

Brian McCullough

Ph.D. Associate Professor

Management Department

Seattle University

mccullob@seattleu.edu

(408) 799-6072

Doug Kunnemann

Business Development Leader

NatureWorks

(404) 862-0709

Doug_Kunnemann@natureworksllc.com

Sarah Woods

Chief Operating Officer

Ecology in Classrooms and Outdoors

sarah@ecologyoutdoors.org

(503) 680-2389

Gregg Small

Executive Director

Climate Solutions

206-418-8792

Justin Zeulner

Executive Director

The Wave

503-307-1630

The post New Northwest Coalition Forms to Address Climate Change appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By Allen Hershkowitz, The Sustainability Report

A week after the passing of the iconic NBA commissioner, Allen Hershkowitz remembers his leadership, foresight and empathy when the pair worked to establish the league?s pioneering sustainability initiative

The post David Stern: A Tribute to a Green Sports Champion appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By Olympic Games News

GETTY IMAGES

THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) HAS LAUNCHED A NEW GUIDE WHICH AIMS TO HELP THE SPORTS COMMUNITY ADDRESS PLASTIC POLLUTION.

The guide, entitled Plastic Game Plan for Sport, was published in collaboration with UN Environment and includes contributions from World Sailing. Referencing successful examples from across the sports world, it provides guidance to event organisers on creating an effective plan to reduce plastic waste. This includes key steps such as eliminating single-use plastic items, reducing the amount of plastic used, reusing plastic items and recycling.

?Plastic pollution is one of the biggest challenges facing our environment today and sport ? like any other industry ? has an urgent responsibility to address it,? said Marie Sallois, IOC Director of Corporate and Sustainable Development. ?The IOC?s Plastic Game Plan for Sport aims to provide sports organisations, event organisers, athletes and fans with clear, step-by-step guidance on how to eliminate plastic waste from their operations and everyday lives.?

The guide?s recommendations include introducing reusable or compostable cups and tableware at events, providing water refill points, recycling bins and reducing the use of ?hidden plastic? such as merchandise, signage, branding and ticketing. In addition, the guide encourages event organisers to leverage their reach to raise awareness of plastic pollution. It also offers tips for athletes and fans on how to cut down their own plastic waste and inspire others to do the same.

In line with Olympic Agenda 2020 ? the strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement ? the IOC has committed to driving sustainable practices across the International Sports Federations (IFs), National Olympic Committees (NOCs), and the wider sports community. The IOC itself is reducing waste at its headquarters and is working with suppliers to ensure materials used at its events are sourced responsibly.

IOC

In June 2018, the IOC joined the UN Environment’s Clean Seas campaign to fight plastic pollution in the oceans, calling on the entire Olympic Movement to follow suit. Eleven IFs, four NOCs and three commercial partners have so far committed to the initiative, putting concrete measures in place to reduce plastic waste.

In September 2019, the IOC supported the Big Plastic Pledge campaign, launched by Olympic sailing champion Hannah Mills. The campaign calls on athletes and fans to reduce their use of single-use plastic. Almost 200 elite athletes have signed the pledge so far, committing to reducing plastic use in their own lives and encouraging others to do the same.

The Plastic Game Plan for Sport is the latest instalment in the IOC?s ?Sustainability Essentials? series, which provides practical guidance on key aspects of sustainability for NOCs, IFs and other sports organisations. Previous guides in the series include Introduction to sustainability, Sports for climate action and Sustainable sourcing in sport.

Read the full article here.

The post IOC’s Plastic Game Plan For Sport to Help Sports Organization Tackle Plastic Pollution appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By Kelley A. Martin, Impacting Our Future

The sports industry is constantly innovating to become more efficient, generate less waste, decrease energy use, and reduce its environmental footprint. Just as the games we love are fast-paced and evolving, so, too, is the sports greening movement.

As a fan, have you noticed what your favorite sports teams are doing in the sustainability space? As sports leagues and teams continue to improve their sustainability initiatives, they will motivate millions of fans to implement sustainable practices at home, work, and play via fan engagement campaigns, in-game public service announcements, athlete involvement, and stadium infrastructure.

When attending your local team?s games, have you ever been inspired to bring some of their eco-friendly practices back home? Here are three sustainability focus areas where you can take a page out of the sport industry?s playbook and bring it back to your home field.

Food for the win

Innovative food options have been finding their way into sports venues around the world. The Seattle Mariners offer toasted grasshoppers as a concession option ? edible insects have long been a sustainable global protein source and are seen by the United Nations to have positive environmental, health, and livelihood benefits over more ?traditional? protein sources.

A majority of venues are offering meatless concessions as well, offering plant-based versions of game-day staples like hotdogs and burgers ? the famous Dodger Dog now comes in a veggie version.

If you attend a San Francisco 49ers? game, you may eat vegetables and herbs grown in their own rooftop stadium garden, to the tune of 7,500 pounds of produce grown annually. The garden is part of their 27,000 square foot green roof, which also reduces heating and cooling needs in their suite tower.

Fenway Farms, which sits above the Red Sox front offices, is a garden that produces about 4,000 pounds of produce annually, assists with energy conservation via improved thermal performance, and lends to storm water amelioration.

Other venues focus on sustainable and regional sourcing. The Sacramento Kings? Golden1 Center has a ?Farm-to-Fork? philosophy that sources 90 percent of its ingredients from within a 150-mile radius of the stadium.

Several venues, including Golden1 Center, are recycling their fryer oil to be converted to biodiesel by local companies. From the kitchens of the 2019 US Open, more than 12,000 gallons of food grease were converted into biodiesel fuel!

Many venues work with local organizations to donate leftover food to those in need within the community. Super Bowl LIII collaborated with EPA-Second Helpings Atlanta to prevent more than 17,000 pounds of food from going to waste, enough to provide over 14,200 meals to those in need in the Atlanta area.

What can you do as a fan?

If it?s game day, go out of your comfort zone and try something new at the stadium ? whether it?s a plant-based or locally sourced option, support your team and the planet by trying out their sustainable offerings.

At home? Consider participating in Meatless Mondays (or going plant-based one day a week). If everyone in the United States skipped meat or cheese just one day a week, it would be the equivalent of taking 7.6 million cars off the road!

Buying and eating local foods plays a huge role in reducing your carbon footprint, and supporting your local economy and community. It also benefits local farmers, which in turn supports soil health, conservation efforts, and local businesses.

Lastly, you can support food recovery organizations and food banks. Donate if you can or consider volunteering your time.

Racing toward zero waste

Waste is an ongoing issue in the sports industry and an area that arguably experiences the most innovation. Venues continuously seek to reduce the waste produced during events while trying to improve the gameday experience for fans. From reducing single-use plastics to implementing composting, minimizing the overall waste generated at venues remains an issue at the forefront of the sports greening movement.

The Portland Trail Blazers have a closed-loop composting system at their venue. They collect compostable materials in clearly marked bins ? including compostable serviceware ? during games and events, which is then sent to a local composting facility. The compost material is then returned to the venue where it is used for landscaping. This closed-loop system has saved the organization millions of dollars by reducing waste hauling and landfill costs.

Some sports venues have turned to biodigesters to manage their waste. Biodigesters turn food waste into energy or they decompose food waste so it?s small enough to send through the sewer. The Philadelphia Eagles? use two aerobic digesters and diverted more than 36 tons from landfill in 2018.

Single-use plastic reduction is also at the forefront of waste reduction. Hundreds of sports venues have bid farewell to plastic straws and other single-use plastics.  Many events, such as marathons, are transitioning away from single-use plastic water bottles to compostable cups at drink stations. Taking it one step further, the 2019 NHL All-Star Game featured uniforms made from upcycled marine plastic debris, incorporating sustainable innovation and storytelling.

What can you do as a fan?

Take efforts to reduce the waste you generate in your daily life by using durable goods whenever possible. Replace single-use plastic dishes, utensils, and cups with glass, metal, or ceramic options. Bring your own reusable shopping bags with you and use a refillable water bottle instead of single-use plastic ones.

Consider asking for no straw when you dine out or bring your own reusable option. Did you know that plastic straws are among the Top 10 items found during beach cleanups alongside plastic bags and cigarette butts?

Consider composting at home. Many cities offer gardening clubs and community resources to get you started. Reduce waste by placing collection bins in various places around your home and office to make recycling convenient. Use different bins that follow your city?s recycling policies so you don?t have to separate it out later.

When cleaning out your closet, consider donating items instead of throwing them out. In Europe alone, 3.1 million tons of textile waste is sent to landfills or incinerators each year, so choosing to donate them keeps them out of the landfill.

When attending a sporting event, look around for composting and recycling bins, and see what efforts the venue is making to reduce its waste. If you?d like to know more about what they?re doing, ask! Many facilities and operations staff are happy to tell you what happens behind the scenes, and typically offer tours on non-event days where you can learn more and see it in action.

Lighting the way

Sports venues are replacing existing lighting systems with LED lighting. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that if LED lamps displaced virtually all others by 2030, total annual lighting sector energy consumption in the United States would decrease by 60 percent.

Upgrading to LED lights saves money and the lights can have a life expectancy of more than 30 years (depending on the product). Yankee Stadium will reduce its energy demand by more than 16.4 million kWh ? an amount equal to reducing carbon emissions by 12,469 tons ? as a result of its LED lighting installation.

The St. Louis Cardinals updated to LED lights earlier this year and the new lighting system provides a quality of light that is 90 percent of the quality of natural light with improved uniformity, while reducing shadows and glare ? something that is crucial when trying to catch that fly ball. The stadium will benefit by seeing less labor needed to maintain the lights and there is up to a 60 percent decrease in the energy required to operate the lights.

What can you do as a fan?

If you?re inspired by sports venue LED lighting upgrades, consider replacing your home?s five most frequently used light fixtures or the bulbs in them with models that have earned the ENERGY STAR. In doing so, you can save on your utility bills (approximately $45 each year) and reduce your greenhouse gas emissions.

By choosing the ENERGY STAR LED lightbulbs, you?ll be using 90 percent less energy than conventional bulbs and they?ll last 15 times longer.

Make a play

As the sports world strives toward making positive, sustainable progress in their industry, you can also make a difference in in your own home and community. Take the excitement you have for your favorite team and let it inspire you to make a positive, sustainable play where you live!

Read the full article here.

The post No Matter Who You Root for, Sports Fans Should Be Saying ?Go Green!? appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By LA Galaxy

In conjunction with the Protect the Pitch program, which continues to lead the industry in stadium sustainability and clean energy efforts, Dignity Health Sports Park has installed 12 new Volta electric vehicle charging stations that will be available to guests free of charge at all events.

?We are extremely excited to install Volta electric vehicle charging stations at Dignity Health Sports Park,? said General Manager Katie Pandolfo. ?We continue to prioritize creating the most sustainable stadium and aligning with Volta is an opportunity that will impact those efforts greatly.?

Volta designs electric vehicle charging networks for forward-thinking businesses seeking to provide seamless, simple and free charging. The company leverages machine learning, and artificial intelligence to predict the number of stations and charging speeds needed to match customer visit times. Volta designed Dignity Health Sports Park?s charging network as a foundation for further expansion to match the park?s rising electric vehicle demands. Projecting out based on the average Volta station impact in Los Angeles, Dignity Health Sport Park?s 12 stations will offset an estimated 250,000 pounds of CO₂annually.

?We are proud to partner with Dignity Health Sports Park as their provider of electric vehicle charging services. They are leading their industry in sustainability,? said Scott Mercer, Founder and CEO, Volta. ?Adding Volta charging to their property will expand their lead by accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles in their community. We look forward to scaling their charging network as their volume of electric vehicles continue to grow.?

The LA Galaxy and Dignity Health Sports Park have launched numerous sustainability efforts to reduce carbon footprint and become more sustainable through the Protect the Pitch initiative. Dignity Health Sports Park?s partnership with Volta is a perfect complement to the club?s Protect the Pitch sustainability initiative.

This year, the LA Galaxy and Dignity Health Sports Park were nominated for The StadiumBusiness Awards 2019 for the Sustainability & Community Award for their efforts behind Protect the Pitch.

All Dignity Health Sports Park/LA Galaxy Protect the Pitch Initiatives

In-House Resources

• Inside the Galaxy Garden, Dignity Health Sports Park houses chickens in a dedicated chicken coop on site to produce eggs that are used on site for staff and players.
• A greenhouse and garden at Dignity Health Sports Park produces numerous types of vegetables that provide food for tenants of Dignity Health Sports Park.
• Dignity Health Sports Park is home to four separate beehives that produce over 800 pounds of honey per year.

Energy

• Motion sensors throughout the facilities save energy by ensuring lights stay off when no one is using them.
• New and upgraded LED lights less 60 percent less energy than the lighting array it replaced.
  • Dignity Health Sports Park is the only soccer-specific MLS stadium to utilize LED stadium lights.

• Dignity Health Sports Park uses 1-megawatt of Tesla batteries, allowing the venue to manage energy usage in a more responsible and environmentally friendly way.

Water

• The LA Galaxy use recycled water to irrigate fields at Dignity Health Sports Park, reducing potable water use by 33%.
• Dignity Health Sports Park uses waterless urinals, low-flow toilets, and faucet aerators to reduce water use in our restrooms.
• LA Galaxy train employees to help minimize water use when cleaning up the stadium.

Waste and Recycling

• LA Galaxy partner with Copia to utilize unused and excess food on game days at Dignity Health Sports Park to be donated to those in need in the Los Angeles community.
• LA Galaxy capture bottles, cans, cups, cardboard, paper, and more through our recycling program
• Dignity Health Sports Park became the first soccer-specific stadium in the country to offer paper straws upon request to minimize plastic straw pollution.
• Our composting program sends grass clippings from our fields to a local nursery and brings them back on-site as mulch.
• Have irrigated fields and landscaping with recycled water since opening in 2003.

Community

• The LA Galaxy Foundation and Herbalife Nutrition team up to make an impact in the local community by expanding Garden School Foundation?s (GSF) Seed to Table School Program to Annalee Elementary School and Leapwood Ave. Elementary in Carson.
• The LA Galaxy open their doors at Dignity Health Sports Park to local elementary students by offering tours of the stadium?s on-side garden and chicken coop, in addition to providing other resources throughout the year.
• LA Galaxy and Dignity Health Sports Park employees volunteer to help keep our community healthy through numerous initiatives, including planting trees and cleaning up beaches.

• The LA Galaxy and Dignity Health Sports Park partner with local nonprofits to organize annual events for Earth Hour, Earth Day, California Clean Air Day and America Recycles Day.

Transportation

• Dignity Health Sports Park features on-site bike racks to make it easier for Galaxy fans to bike to the game.
• LA Galaxy and Dignity Health Sports Park provide the Galaxy Express service to offer fans free non-stop shuttles to and from Dignity Health Sports Park for every LA Galaxy home match.
  • The Galaxy Express can be utilized in two separate locations and operate approximately every 10 minutes.

Read the full article here.

The post LA Galaxy and Dignity Health Sports Park Partner with Volta to Provide Free Electric Vehicle Charging appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By LPGA

MIDLAND, Mich. (December 19, 2019) ? The 2019 Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational (Dow GLBI) recently was named a GEO Certified® Tournament, designating it as the first-ever professional golf tournament to receive this recognition during its first year of operation and the first event on the LPGA Tour to be fully certified. The certification, awarded by the Scotland-based GEO Foundation (GEO), is an internationally recognized award for sustainability in golf.

To become GEO Certified®, the Dow GLBI ? the only team event on the LPGA Tour ? executed the first year of a 5-year sustainability strategy that is designed to balance environmental impacts, conserve natural resources and benefit the local community. In addition to the thorough review conducted by GEO, a third-party verification was carried out by the Council for Responsible Sport, the official verification body for the GEO Certified Tournaments in North America.

To earn certification, the Dow GLBI achieved a total of 45 out of 55 points across six categories ? planning & communications, site protection, procurement, resource management, access & equity and community legacy.

?The certification process is rigorous and comprehensive, and we are thrilled to achieve this world-first designation for women?s golf during our first year of operating this event,? said Chris Chandler, executive director of the Dow GLBI. ?By working in partnership with GEO Foundation and many local partners, we will continue to push the boundaries on environmental sustainability and community value at our future events, with the goal of enriching the Great Lakes Bay Region community and educating and inspiring others.?

Highlights from the 2019 event include:

68 percent of waste generated during the Dow GLBI was recycled or reused, with major efforts to avoid single use materials and to pioneer recycling of bulk materials such as banners and wraps.

More than 1,000 pounds of unused prepared food was donated to the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, a nonprofit organization that distributes food through a network of hunger relief partners in 22 counties.

5,500+ students were introduced to the First Tee?s golf and life skills curriculum, and 600+ children attended The First Tee Junior Clinic at the Currie Golf Course.

More than 1,450 individuals recorded 28,214,989 total steps as part of the #TeamUp and Step Up for Healthy Living Challenge.

36 local non-profits received a total of $200,000 as a result of the #TeamUp for the GLBR program, in which non-profits were paired with teams of LPGA players and had the chance to earn additional contributions based on how the LPGA teams finished in competition.

Scoping and calculating the comprehensive baseline carbon footprint for the event

The United Nations? 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognizes that sport can be an important enabler of sustainable development and can contribute to health, education and social inclusion objectives. Through its partnership with GEO Foundation, Dow, as the tournament sponsor, seeks to share its experience and inspire other organizers to forge collaborations that will help maximize the positive environmental, economic and social impacts of their sporting events, according to Dr. Anastasia Behr, technology & sustainability leader from Dow Olympic & Sports Solutions.

?Our vision has been to host a tournament that benefits and engages the Great Lakes Bay Region locally and helps set a benchmark in sustainability for other golf tournaments and their commercial partners on the LPGA Tour,? said Behr, who is the Dow GLBI?s sustainability advisor. ?This aligns with one of Dow?s 2025 Sustainability Goals, in which we are collaborating with like-minded partners to develop sustainable blueprints that will advance the well-being of people and the planet.?

To achieve GEO certification, the organizers must complete a robust, custom-built program for golf tournaments that includes document and evidence submission, a third-party verification carried out by the Council for Responsible Sport, a thorough review by GEO, and agreement to Continual Improvement Points for future tournaments.

?This achievement is the result of a tremendous team effort – led by the golf and sustainability groups in the Dow Corporation, well supported by Octagon and backed up with active participation from Midland Country Club,? said Jonathan Smith, executive director of the GEO Foundation. ?Together they have put in place long term vision, strategy and policies, taken immediate action, and delivered meaningful results in the first year of the event. This is a great example of how, with the right attitude and approach, all golf tournaments can accelerate their work to reduce resource consumption, waste and climate impacts, working to ensure the tournament delivers net positive benefits to people and the environment. We have no doubt this will be a model and catalyst for other golf events on the LPGA and more widely.”

In addition to the Dow GLBI being named a GEO Certified® Tournament, the Midland Country Club, which hosts the tournament, achieved the widely endorsed and accredited GEO Certified® eco-label in June 2019 for its own commitment and action in fostering nature, conserving resources and supporting the community.

The full Dow GLBI GEO Certified® report can be found online at: https://bit.ly/2Z3YyB2

Read the full article here.

The post Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational Achieves World-First Recognition in its First Year appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By The Irish Times

Katie Taylor celebrates following her WBO Women?s Super-Lightweight World title fight against Christina Linardatou at the Manchester Arena. For the third year in a row, Taylor was named Ireland?s most admired sports star. Photograph: Gary Carr/Inpho

Women in sport has been a very hot topic in Ireland throughout 2019, and really for the latter half of this decade.

This conversation has run parallel with the cultural change movements that have dominated mindsets and news agendas, from the sustainability and climate change agenda to the search for stronger corporate purpose and values, to the wider debate around gender equality and women in business. Women in sport, and increasing the investment in, respect for, coverage of and participation in, is very much aligned to these wider conversations.

In 2019, we have seen significant milestones. Media outlets have spent significant budget on purchasing rights to female events and ensured female analysts are included in their teams for both male and female sports events. Sport for business continues to drive the agenda when it comes to women in the business of sport, The Irish Times has a page dedicated every week to women?s sport, while Cliona Foley and Newstalk have the Off the Bench podcast. All of this is contributing to this momentum. It is this ?positive discrimination? that continues to make a difference.

The pace of change has been swift, aided somewhat by an enlightened societal acceptance that this is the right thing to do and aided by advances in technology and bolstered by the fact that it now makes commercial sense.

Momentum

The momentum around the women in sport movement was particularly evident with the launch of the Sport Ireland Women in Sport policy last March. This is underpinned by two years of extensive research and provides a long-term, sustainable plan for women in sport that is designed to deliver tangible improvements across four pillars: coaching and officiating, active participation, leadership and governance, and visibility. This policy has the support, structure and Government funding to ensure a significant difference can, and will, be made.

When it comes to women in sport in Ireland, the picture is certainly more positive than it has been in previous years but the reality is that this is still a somewhat confused and contradictory picture.

The Teneo Sport and Sponsorship Index (TSSI) is a 1,000-person nationally representative survey that examines the Irish general public?s attitudes towards sport. This is the 10th year of the report and second year that the survey has had an extra specific focus on women in sport. The results demonstrate that while progress is certainly being made, there is still a road to travel.

It is not surprising that the perception of the majority of those surveyed (73 per cent) is that more is being done in the media to actively profile women?s sport this year than ever before.

A good example of this standout media coverage in 2019 was a televisual first for Ireland when RTÉ and TG4 teamed up to show all games of the 2019 Fifa Women?s World Cup last summer.

This was a real statement of intent by the national broadcaster. The decision to show this tournament was very much justified through the audience figures (an average of 83,700 per game with a peak of 265,000 during the final) and demonstrates the appetite among the Irish public to consume top-class sporting action regardless of the gender.

Encouraging

Despite the perception that more is being done, only a quarter (25 per cent) of those surveyed said that female sport receives enough coverage. But the dial is moving in the right direction as this is up from 19 per cent in 2018.

With the opportunities to watch women?s sport on TV or online at an all-time high, it is encouraging, yet expected, to see an increase in the numbers who tuned in going from 41 per cent in 2018 to 45 per cent this year. With so much choice on our screens, these people do not have to watch female sports, but choose to do so.

However, half (53 per cent) of our population say women?s sport still does not get enough media coverage. I would argue that these people need to act on their words by consuming it at every opportunity which does not seem to be the case based on these results.

Another major contradiction with the women in sport movement remains those who actually attend female sporting events. In 2018, 13 per cent of people said they had attended a women?s sporting event but this year it has dipped to 11 per cent. For context, 34 per cent of those surveyed said they had attended a sports event of any kind, male or female.

Given that 2019 was a year where the opportunities to attend a female sporting event was also at an all-time high (there was another record-breaking year when it comes to women?s Gaelic football and camogie finals, there was a ?first? in a crowd of 10,886 attending the women?s football semi-finals, a record crowd of 5,328 saw the Irish women?s soccer team beat the Ukraine in Tallaght, and Energia Park saw the Irish women?s hockey team qualify for the Olympics in front of another record crowd), it is concerning that those who attended a female sporting event did not increase. It may well be the case that a loyal cohort is supporting female sports codes but it has yet to break out into mass audience fan base.

This shows that while strides are being made, it remains the case that in order to keep the momentum going it is the responsibility of all involved to ensure that women?s sporting fixtures are readily accessible and attractive for people to attend. Irish sports fans need to make the effort to get out and go to these events.

A generational thing

It has been said that ?it?s a generational thing? when it comes to parity of women?s sport, with the inference being that the older generations don?t have as much interest. The findings of this research tell a different story and show that there is a balanced interest across the age groups.

Those in the 55-plus age group lead the way (50 per cent) when it comes to tuning in on TV or online in 2019 while those aged 45 – 54 lead the way (17 per cent) with the 18-24-year olds for attending matches.

It is also worth noting that when it comes to both watching and attending female sports events that Irish men score higher than women in almost every category. Men still prefer to watch, attend and play sport but the gap is closing.

Equally, I believe that the argument that young girls do not have, or are not aware of, female sporting role models is no longer valid. According to the TSSI, Katie Taylor is Ireland?s most admired sports star for the third year running and the Irish women?s hockey team were joint first with the Dublin senior men?s football team when it came to team of the year.

The 20×20 campaign and initiatives such as the ?She Can? colouring book, along with initiatives from governing bodies and sponsors, have certainly delivered in profiling elite female athletes to a younger cohort.

Eighty per cent of females aged 18 – 24 say that they believe there has been more media coverage of female sports in 2019 than in previous years.

If the rate of progress remains at the pace it has been at this year then I believe that the younger generation, those aged 5 – 15, will simply watch or go to ?a match? and have sporting heroes without any gender differentiation. The argument ?if you cannot see it, you cannot be it?, may never apply to young girls who will now grow up watching elite female sports. This battle for exposure is being won. Complacency is the only enemy.

Crucially, sponsors now understand the value to be had with women?s sport. Not a week goes by whereby our sponsorship team isn?t asked to recommend a female sports sponsorship to a client. Leading sports administrators now see female sports codes and their success as critical to financial success.

We now need to move our focus to two specific areas for the coming decade; the first being to feed the ever-increasing appetite of Irish people to watch and attend female sporting events and the second, in order to ensure a sustainable difference is made, is to increase the number of females in leadership positions in sport in Ireland. This allied, to the ever-increasing range and quality now on show in female sports codes, with increased commercial investment, will ensure the product gets even more attractive to watch and better promoted.

Wouldn?t it be great if ?positive discrimination? and a lobby for more coverage were no longer needed in 2029? I believe this will be the case.

The train has left the station. Full steam ahead.

HOW WOMEN VIEW SPORT IN 2019

Favourite sport
1. Gaelic Games 19%
2. No favourite sport 18%
3. Walking 15%
4. Swimming 9%
5. Rugby 8%
6. Soccer 7%
7. Tennis 5%
8. Athletics 4%
9. Golf/Horse Racing 3%
10. Cycling/Ladies Gaelic Football/Other 2%

Greatest sporting achievement of 2019
1. Katie Taylor becoming a two-weight world champion 24%
2. Irish Women?s Hockey Team qualify for Tokyo 13%
3. Shane Lowry wins The Open 11%
4. Dublin footballers win five-in-a-row 9%
5. Tipperary Hurlers win the All-Ireland 7%
6. Paul O?Donovan and Fintan McCarthy win gold at World Rowing Championships 6%
7. Ireland win the U20 Six Nations 5%
8. Rhys McClenaghan wins bronze at Gymnastics World Championships/Galway win camogie All-Ireland 4%
9. All tied on 2%
a. Dundalk winning the League of Ireland Premier Division
b. Dublin ladies footballers win three-in-a-row
c. Al Boum and Willie Mullins win first Gold Cup at Cheltenham
d. Tiger Roll becomes first horse since Red Rum to win back to back Aintree Grand Nationals
e. Sanita Puspure wins gold at World Rowing Championships
f. Katie-George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal win World Para Cycling Championships

Most memorable Irish sporting moment of 2019
1. Katie Taylor defeats Christina Linardatou 35%
2. Shane Lowry?s walk up the last fairway at The Open 27%
3. Róisín Upton scores the winning penalty with a broken wrist for Ireland to qualify for Tokyo 2020 11%
4. Seamus Callanan scores in the All-Ireland final, meaning he scored a goal in every c?ship game 5%
5. All tied on 4%
a. Wexford winning the Leinster championship
b. Rhys McClenaghan winning World Championship bronze
c. Tiger Roll winning back to back Aintree Grand Nationals

Team of the Year
1. Ireland Senior Women?s Hockey team 33%
2. Dublin Senior Men?s Football team 17%
3. Ireland Rugby u20s team 14%
4. Dublin Senior Ladies Football team 10%
5. Tipperary Senior Hurling team 9%
6. Ireland men?s rowing team 8%
7. Galway Senior Camogie Team 6%
8. Dundalk FC 3%

Most anticipated sporting event of 2020
1. Tokyo Olympics 2020 28%
2. Six Nations/All Ireland Hurling Championship 13%
3. Euro 2020 10%
4. All-Ireland Football Championship 8%
5. Cheltenham/Ryder Cup 6%
6. Tokyo Paralympics 2020/2020 Irish Open 4%
7. All Ireland Ladies Gaelic Football Championship 3%

Teneo Sport and Sponsorship Index 2019

Nationwide Female-only Statistics

Read the full article here.

The post Women in Sport Movement Gathers Pace with Key Milestones Achieved in 2019 appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By FIFA.com Who We Are

The post FIFA Forward Fosters More Green and Sustainable Football Infrastructures Worldwide appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By NZ Herald

Serena Williams during the ASB Classic WTA Womens Tournament in 2017.  Photo: Chris Symes / www.photosport.nz

The ASB Classic will offset carbon emissions for the flights of all players, support staff and officials heading to Auckland for next year’s tournaments.

With the ongoing drive towards sustainability and heightened environmental awareness, it was probably a natural step for the event, but it’s a welcome one.

Tennis is one of the world’s truly global sports, with tournaments in every corner of the world.

During the year the sport resembles a travelling circus, as most weeks players, coaches, support staff and tournament officials are in a different city, especially at the elite levels.

Serena Williams, who has won 23 grand slam titles in a storied career, typically travels with a large entourage while other big names coming to Auckland next year include Caroline Wozniacki, Daniil Medvedev and current US Open champion and world No 5 Bianca Andreescu.

Around 200 people will fly into Auckland for the tournament fortnight.

Aside from players and their support teams, there are ATP and WTA operations staff, umpires and line judges and other event officials.

Tournament sponsor ASB is taking the first step towards making the event more eco-friendly, by offsetting the carbon emissions from all those trips.

They are also working with Tennis Auckland to implement a sustainability plan, with the long term aim of having no single use plastic and no landfill waste by 2022, among other environmental measures.

Read the full article here.

The post ASB Classic to Cover Carbon Emissions for Travelling Superstars appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By 11th Hour Racing News

Continuing its work with coastal communities around the world to restore ocean health, 11th Hour Racing announced today a dozen new global grants to organizations that are addressing sea-level rise, habitat loss, science education for underserved students and plastics pollution.

11th Hour Racing awarded $473K in grants, funded by The Schmidt Family Foundation, to projects in Argentina, France, Kenya, the U.K. and the U.S. This latest round of grants brings the total of new grants for 2019 to $1.7 million. The funding will support the work of these organizations to advance the following four areas that serve as catalysts to improve ocean health:

• Reducing plastic pollution
• Advancing clean technologies and best practices
• Tackling water quality and climate change through ecosystem restoration
• Fostering ocean literacy and stewardship

Grants were awarded to the following organizations:

Reducing plastic pollution / Advancing clean technologies and best practices

• Clean Water Fund (Providence, R.I., U.S.) will partner with restaurants in Rhode Island to replace single-use plastic with sustainable alternatives.
• The Final Straw Solent (Hampshire, U.K.) will engage 700 local businesses and organizations in its efforts to reduce plastic pollution and promote sustainability.
• Unplastify (Buenos Aires, Argentina) will challenge youth from 15 sailing centers in the country to design an action plan for eliminating single-use plastics from their facilities.

Tackling water quality and climate change through ecosystem restoration

• Save The Bay (Providence, R.I., U.S.) will expand its Narragansett Bay pollution prevention education and enlarge its salt marsh adaptation initiatives throughout the state.
• Seacology (Berkeley, Calif., U.S.) will collaborate with residents of Giriama (Robinson) Island, Kenya to replant and protect 200 acres of mangroves while providing the community with access to clean water.

Fostering ocean literacy and stewardship

• Baltimore County Sailing Center (Baltimore, Md., U.S.) will educate 50 children from two homeless shelters in Baltimore in STEM education through on-the-water activities.
• Community Boating Center (Providence, R.I., U.S.) will offer week-long STEM education for students from Providence Public Schools.
• Courageous Sailing (Boston, Mass., U.S.) will provide on-water STEM education focused on marine debris, waste management, composting, climate change and endangered species.
• EXPLORE (Concarneau, France) will develop 12 hands-on educational toolkits for students ages 6 to 23.
• Hudson River Community Sailing (New York, N.Y., U.S.) will provide hands-on STEM and sailing education to middle school students from underserved schools in New York City.
• Muséum National d?Histoire Naturelle, Station Marine de Concarneau (Concarneau, France) will expand its public marine education offerings at the Marinarium and nearby beaches.
• Ocean Discovery Institute (San Diego, Calif., U.S.) will engage 120 students from low-income middle and high schools in first-hand research, mentoring and weekly academic support.

?These grantees represent a varied scope of projects and locations, allowing us to support and foster ocean conservation in diverse communities,? said Michelle Carnevale, 11th Hour Racing?s Grant Program Director. ?While each grant has a unique scope, the overall themes are integrated to advance systemic change — empowering individuals to take action on the climate crisis and to restore their coastlines, enabling students to learn science through hands-on education in the natural environment, and reducing plastic pollution by stopping it at the source through clean technologies and proven best practices.?

The first deadline to submit an application for a 2020 grant from 11th Hour Racing is Jan. 31, 2020. Click here to learn more about 11th Hour Racing?s grantmaking strategy.

Combining sport and philanthropy, 11th Hour Racing works to mobilize sailing, maritime and coastal communities to create systemic change and restore ocean health. Driven by a philosophy of ?think global, act local,? the organization connects international sailing team sponsorships with global events and utilizes these large platforms to spotlight grant projects led by community organizations. For more information, visit 11thhourracing.org.

Read the full press release here.

The post 11th Hour Racing Awards 12 New Grants to Address Environmental Challenges of Coastal Communities Around World appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

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