Green Football Weekend (3-5th February) aims to bring together millions of fans to unite for the planet. The campaign is a testament to how the power of sport can bring positive environmental change.
Research by the University of Leeds revealed that 4,622,998kg of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions could be saved if everybody eating a beef burger in the UK over Green Football Weekend chose a veggie burger instead. This is the equivalent to taking 2,609 cars off the road for a full year.
The world’s largest climate-football campaign is encouraging fans to try a veggie option at football grounds, restaurants and at home from 3-5th February to take action on climate.
Sarah Jacobs, director of Green Football Weekend, said: “Food is an important contributor to the overall climate impact of football. Choosing a veggie alternative in the ground is a simple way to help address the climate crisis, and can have significant impact if you make it a habit."
The Shiitake Mushroom Burger is a low-carbon meal option that showcases the commitment of Sodexo Live! to sustainability. Producing 0.5kg of CO2e, this burger is a ‘substantial improvement’ over the average CO2e per meal in the UK, which stands at 1.6kg of CO2e.
The venues also offer alternative meat-free options, including vegetarian pies, with all ingredients sourced locally where possible. Sodexo Live! aims to feature 33% plant-based meals on its menus by 2025 as it moves towards its goal of net zero by 2040.
Ben Dutson, food innovation director, at Sodexo Live! UK & Ireland, which provides catering and hospitality at nine UK stadia, added: "Sodexo Live! is resolute in its commitment to ensuring 70% of main dishes on our menus can be labelled ‘low-carbon’ by 2030, and that food waste is reduced by 50% by 2025.
“While we know there is a lot more everyone can do in this space, the Green Football Weekend is a perfect opportunity to show our customers that our low carbon and plant-based meals can be interesting and tasty, and we are proud to support this great initiative.”