SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL CHARTER SIGNED BY CHARLTON
Ahead of the team’s yearly Greener Game at The Valley versus Cambridge United, Charlton gladly become a member of the Sustainable Travel Charter on Saturday.
The charter is an innovative project that seeks to promote more eco-friendly modes of transportation in order to completely transform football club travel.
The Sustainable Travel Charter addresses supporters’ worries about short-haul flights in professional football by challenging conventional wisdom that suggests flying to games should be the standard.
By agreeing to the charter, the team acknowledges how critical it is to set an example for others and participate in larger initiatives within the football community to solve climate change.
The charter offers a framework for football clubs to make more environmentally friendly travel arrangements. It was developed by Pledgeball, the Football Supporters’ Association, and club representatives. It considers things like player safety, well-being, travel schedules, and forthcoming games.
“This charter helps address something that has become a concerning norm: the acceptance of taking a form of transportation that severely impacts those things we all hold dear, such as clean air and conditions in which we can play,” stated Katie Cross, CEO of Pledgeball, in emphasising the importance of the charter.
“The fact that more teams, including Charlton, are joining the cause shows how determined everyone is to put an end to these harmful behaviors. This will inspire additional clubs to come collaborate with us. We are negotiating with a number of other clubs to promote broad adoption.
“Saturday’s Greener Game was a great example of the club and its partners coming together as we continue our journey to become more environmentally sustainable under the guidance of our front of shirt partner RSK,” James Rodwell, Managing Director of Charlton, continued.
“The University of Greenwich sponsored a hybrid coach for our players to go to the game together, and it was great to see our supporters contributing as well. Participating in a walk arranged by the Charlton Athletic Community Trust, almost 70 supporters made their way from Eltham to the match. Many of our supporters made promises to live more sustainably, and our Supporters’ Trust also planned a walk from North Greenwich to the game.
“Although our teams don’t use airplanes to travel to games in the UK, our commitment to keeping an eye on making more environmentally friendly decisions is further supported by our signing of the Sustainable Travel Charter.”
“While player travel may not constitute the largest part of a football club’s carbon footprint, adopting more sustainable travel options can lead to immediate emissions cuts for clubs aspiring to make a difference in climate action,” said Ashley Brown of the Football Supporters’ Association. Since clubs are not currently required to declare their travel activities, the Charter emphasizes the need for transparency while acting as a guide for clubs looking to cut back on flying frequency.
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