Sustainable and climate friendlier consumption at sports venues and events

Identifying more sustainable and climate responsible consumption involves product-by-product evaluation (eg energy sources, food, textiles, paper products, chemicals, transportation, plastics, etc) as well as systems assessments. Take a look at the following links for more in depth looks at what can be done.

• See the IOC’s sustainability documents section as it has a number of very useful documents (these are also listed at the bottom of the IRF Practical Guide to Sustainability).
• Sport Sustainability Introduction: Benefits of sustainable events – a video guide created by SportAccord, AISTS, PI, and IOC, to help us understand sustainability as a whole, and look at what it means. Here you will learn how to identify and quantify the tangible and intangible benefits of sustainable events. This includes cost saving, how to generate growth, stakeholders’ satisfaction, attractiveness for sponsors and the uniqueness of sports events.
• Sport Sustainability Introduction: How to get started – a video guide created by SportAccord, AISTS, PI, and IOC, to help us understand sustainability as a whole, and look at what it means. Here you can find information to get started on creating a sustainable sports event.
• Plastic Game Plan – the IOC sets out how to create a plastic plan and to work with suppliers, athletes and fans to reduce, reuse and recycle.
• Sport for Climate Action – the IOC aim here is to provide a general understanding of the issues related to climate change and managing carbon emissions. The IOC examine what this means, why it is important, how it relates to sport and what a sport organisation can do to address climate change.
• Take a look at 9 Steps to Buy Responsible Paper so as to see what approaches can be taken for more responsible paper production, use and disposal. The life cycle impacts of the paper industry engender some of the greatest industrial contributions to greenhouse gas impacts (as well as forest, biodiversity, water, and indigenous community impacts). Moreover, paper products are among the most frequently purchased products at sports venues and events, (e.g. event programs, tickets, media guides, results, food containers, napkins, bathroom tissue, etc). Use this list of the leading ecopapers available globally to find suitable products, it can sort regionally so you can find what you need as locally as possible.