As one of the biggest sports in the United States, basketball has a lot of power and influence when it comes to the sporting world. Even more, it has a potential “lead and others will follow” type of influence.
With climate change at the forefront of everyone’s minds right now, perhaps it’s time for the sport to make some changes and lead the way in the fight against global warming. We’ve compiled a few ways basketball could be the change the sporting world needs to see. Read on to find out more.
Renewable Energy
One of the most obvious changes basketball – and the wider sporting world – can make is switching how they power the stadiums and training courts. At the moment, the great majority of courts are powered via the grid, which uses fossil fuels – but did you know there are other ways?
The type of renewable energy that could be used would depend on the location of the stadium or court. A windy area could use wind turbines, and somewhere by the coast could harness hydroelectricity. But perhaps the most obvious of all would be the use of solar panels.
If you’re someone in the know in the basketball world asking, “How much do solar panels cost?” you might be surprised to find out you’ll likely save money if you install them!
Reuse and Recycle Clothing
A lesser-known damaging effect on the environment is the use of fast fashion. In short, fast fashion is the quick production of low-cost and low-quality clothing – specifically clothing that is not intended to last. While some basketball uniforms wouldn’t fall into that category, it’s certainly worth a conversation. After all, there is also the merchandise to consider.
Utilizing recycled materials and changing the uniforms themselves less often would be a great move in showing the world basketball cares.
Cut Out Single-Use Plastics
Our final suggestion would be surrounding the use of single-use plastics. That could be cups, food containers, straws, packaging, gifts, and other merchandise. You’d be surprised just how much single-use plastic is involved in big sports like basketball.
Simply opting for more environmentally friendly options, such as paper and aluminum-based products, would make a huge difference. While it’s true that plastics are currently cheaper than paper, if the sporting federation switches to renewable energy, they could use the savings from that to fund this commendable project. Play the long game.
See – it’s all well within the realm of possibility.
Take the Offensive With Climate Change
When it’s laid out so clearly like this, it’s a wonder these changes haven’t already been made. Given the wide power, influence and money that the basketball world has, we hope to see some – if not all – of these suggestions starting to be implemented in the not-too-distant future.
And as for how you can make changes on an individual basis – have you considered switching to renewable energy in your home? Give it some thought!
