October 16, 2023, by sustainablenottingham

#greenerandgold – UoN Sport’s award winning sustainability initiative

The university’s sport department continues to evolve and progress, at a rate perhaps only an athlete could keep up with! The ever growing trophy cabinet reflecting the efforts of the staff and students to unlock their full potential and reach new sporting heights. Yet as the cleaning cloth reaches the last shield on the shelf, there is a new and perhaps unexpected trophy making its first appearance. It’s wooden core showcasing a new direction for sport, a greener future that’s already producing the gold. This trophy is the University’s Professional Services 2023 Award for ‘Contribution to Sustainability’. An acknowledgement of the collective efforts to secure a sustainable future in sport. Symbolising their commitment to caring for the very environment that enables them to excel, and their passion for providing a sustainable sporting offer.

Data analysis and Enva waste report

Greening sport

Recycling Hub at David Ross Sports Village

The last few years have seen many changes in operational and strategic practice to support a greener future, from moving to LED lighting in performance spaces, to providing compostable bags for ice and lost property bags, UoN Sport have shown that sustainable changes can be implemented without impacting performance. Better still, performance sport can continue to thrive and excel whilst improving the sporting opportunities for those around them.

So far, the department have:

• donated over 600 pairs of trainers to the ‘JOG ON’ initiative, who repurpose footwear otherwise bound for landfill,
• collaborated with the David Ross Educational Trust, donating over 50 items to their schools, such as rugby balls and boxing equipment, ensuring the next generation of students can continue to engage in sport,
• updated our Moves App rewards so you can now select our new ocean bottles, and even choose to plant trees across the world.

What can you do?

From incremental changes to bigger picture strategic plans, UoN Sport are placing 1^st in sustainability, and with inclusivity at the heart of what we do, there’s an opportunity for everyone to be part of our winning team. Small changes to our sporting habits can make a huge difference if we’re all on the same team. Here are some top tips to help you get involved in the #greenerandgold…

Tree Planting by sports staff, clubs and volunteers to off-set carbon emissions for all of the travel to and from BUCS BIG WEDNESDAY.

Bring your re-useable water bottle to workout, play or watch – Sports bottles make up the top 3 types of waste/litter found in the UK. You can purchase our UK made sports bottles from reception at our sport centres for just £4 and there are water refill points in our sports centres. Plus, the DRSV Clubhouse Café offer the Latte Levy initiative which includes 20p off hot drinks when you bring in a refillable mug.

Take home your post match litter – When you’ve finished your fixture, ensure to take home your litter. Stickers, wrappers and cellophane are often left behind and lower the quality of your performance sport surface, such as the 3G or Sports Hall.

Travel smart – If you can car share, take a bike, train or bus, you can really cut down on carbon emissions created through travel. Last year, sports staff, clubs and volunteers planted 911 trees at our Riverside site to off-set carbon emissions for all of the travel to and from BUCS BIG WEDNESDAY.

Don’t be a vampire – Vampire energy is the energy we use on things that are not in use. So if you’re leaving a space, switch off a light, screen or speaker. Money saved on energy usage can be money used to invest in enhancing our sporting offer.

Take the stairs – If you can, take the stairs in and around our campus. A lift uses 40% more energy travelling up than down, so if you’re going to the gym, start your leg day early by switching out the lift for the stairs!

The future of sustainability in sport is essential to the future of sport. So whether you’re lifting weary legs on the treadmill, weights in your HITT class, or trophies at the end of the season. Make sure you’re sustainable in sport, make sure you’re #greenerandgold.

Sustainability at UoN Sport – MediaSpace – The University of Nottingham

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