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The third Twenty20 cricket international between England and New Zealand on 3rd September at Edgbaston was billed as the ‘Go Green’ game, which saw the venue run entirely off wind, hydro and solar power.
Confirmed:
- Four and six cards waved by fans were produced with ‘seed paper’, which will grow wild flowers when planted
- Lawnmowers and roller used to prepare the playing surface were switched to electric alternatives
- Red meat was banned from the hospitality menus, but not from the burger vans outside the ground
- Food offered to fans was wrapped in sustainable packaging lined with seaweed
Context:
A 2019 report from the British Association for Sustainable Sport (BASIS) has warned that cricket is the sport in most danger of the impacts of a changing climate, with floods and drought posing a significant threat.
The cricket ground Lord’s has been powered by wind power since 2017, while The Oval’s new Galadari stand is covered by solar panels.
Comment:
“We want to be known for being a sustainable venue,” Lydia Carrington, Edgbaston’s sustainability manager, told BBC Sport.
“We want people to think when they come here they are making a positive impact. Even if it is a big event, the impact they are having is a positive one.”
Coming next:
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is expected to publish a new sustainability plan later this year, in order to encourage other counties to take similar steps to Edgbaston.
