Green Balls – a ‘greener’ world cup?
Posted by mlamond in Clean up the World, FoE, Green News, UNEP, climate change, green media on 10. Jun, 2010 | 4 Comments
The 2006 World Cup was carbon-neutral with host nation Germany, FIFA and, Green.TV partner, UNEP working together – there’s an interesting article on the Friends of the Earth website, look at http://www.foe.co.uk/living/articles/world_cup.html.
This year tournament organisers seem to have been a little more reluctant to shout about their environmental commitment. According to The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/green-living-blog/2010/jun/10/carbon-footprint-world-cup) the carbon footprint for the 2010 World Cup will be a staggering 2.8 million tonnes CO2e. This does sound absolutely massive and the author, Mike Berners-Lee offers the perspective that this is the equivalent of 6,000 space shuttle fights or 1,400,000,000 cheeseburgers (all those zeros somehow make it even more frightening).
However, the intention of this piece is not to beat up the football authorities for their lack of environmental thought more its to highlight some interesting films on Green.TV that suggest ways football can be made more sustainable or used to promote positive activities. Have a look at the following and let me know what you think:
Homeless World Cup was set up to use football, street soccer, as a catalyst for social change – http://www.green.tv/homeless_world_cup.
Eco Football – ideas to make football greener including motion sensor lighting, ceedum roofs and clothing designed to mimic plants that repel mud and water.
http://www.green.tv/eco_football
Ocean’s World Cup – a Greenpeace film calling on Government’s to stop fouling the oceans.
http://www.green.tv/oceans_world_cup_whose_side_are_you_on
Nature and Sports Camp – a UNEP initiative offering children sport and environment training.
http://www.green.tv/nature_and_sports_camp
Where is the Eagle? – a film from WWF featuring Portugal’s top football team Benfica and their beloved mascot, Victory the Eagle, and the threats to endangered species.
http://www.green.tv/wwf_eagle
The New Food Panic: Scientists Call for Green Revolution 2.0 & FoE says No!
Posted by annied in FoE, agriculture on 21. Oct, 2009 | Comments Off
Well, it looks like world maybe headed for a second green revolution. None the least to do with the Royal Society for Agriculture’s new study that calls for £2 billion for R&D over the next decade. A new study from the International Food Policy Research Institute (find link Nelson et al) forecasts future crop yields based upon the IPCCs second worst scenario is 1.6 degree Celsius average rise in global temperatures combined with two climate change weather pattern models (NCAR & CSIRO). But Kew Gardens and Friends of the Earth both argue for biodiversity instead.
FoE UK: Maria of Kiribati will fight at Cop15
Posted by annied in FoE, climate change on 07. Sep, 2009 | Comments Off
Maria from the Kiribati Islands in the Pacific came to see us at Friends of the Earth recently. She told us that her islands could be underwater within ten years. Crops and wells are already contaminated with salt water and the mangroves where she used to play as a child are disappearing.