If you’ve a basic understanding of our current climate crisis, you also know how different industries are leaping to alternative fuel sources. With all this change, you’ll be keen to learn how exactly they are doing that. Maybe you’ll feel inspired to make some changes yourself!
Sports have taken a big step towards spreading the word about solar technology and sustainability of late. Sports are showing us a new way to enjoy the game, from marketing strategies and opening necessary dialogue to building brand-new stadiums with state-of-the-art tech.
Independent Involvement
With sports often built up by everyday people much like yourself, it’s essential to take an interest in what’s happening around you.
Perhaps you could support a local team with their access to sustainable resources. Or, next time you have friends over for the game, think of how you could transform the experience using solar. Solar tech is available on the move, in gardens, homes, and in travel.
The only debate left for you to settle is acquiring a portable power station vs. a power bank.
Solar Stadiums
It doesn’t get much bigger than the Super Bowl. Maybe you were preoccupied with the teams playing in the 2019s final, but if you were lucky enough to visit, you would have been witness to Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz stadium. Despite having the world’s largest LED lighting scoreboard, it still uses 29% less energy than the average stadium.
The stadium features 4,000 solar panels integrated into the architectural design and an impressive stormwater management system. It generates energy that could sustain 13 United matches and reduces domestic water usage by 47%. Mercedes built it all with sustainability in mind and the protection of the neighborhood, once a victim of repetitive flooding. Not anymore.
‘Merican Marketing
The Green Sports Alliance, or GSA, currently leads the market in inspiring cultural and tangible change within the sports industry. They have achieved recognition for their trusted partnerships with some of the largest sporting leagues.
By holding regular national events to inspire change and open eco-friendly dialogue, they’ve done well to inspire sports governing bodies and the like to welcome the benefits of renewable energy.
International Ideas
Over in Europe, Amsterdam is showing us how green energy can contribute to the national grid. Not only do they use solar panels to harvest energy within specific stadiums, but when the stadium isn’t in use, they’ve figured out clever ways to store all of that precious energy.
The energy in the reserve feeds into the national grid for use by the locals. This system benefits football fans and residents of the area, all while highlighting the benefits of solar energy.
Some countries with similar systems will pay for any surplus energy redirected to the national grid. If sporting bodies took advantage of this, we wouldn’t just owe the grid for our electricity. Of course, this opens a conversation around privatizing our fuel sources. Maybe that’s a conversation for another day.
GOOO GREEN!
It’s impressive how large solar and sustainable projects have and continue to take place around us. We hope this carries on and evolves alongside the industry in the future.