London, Wednesday 1 December 2021; Davinson Sanchez joined children from Rowland Hill Nursery School to help plant trees donated by Tottenham Hotspur and Sky on a green space nearby Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
A mixture of American Sweetgum, False Acacia and Silver Birch are now in place at a site identified by Friends of the Earth and Haringey Council on White Hart Lane.
It follows on from Game Zero – the world’s first ever net zero carbon football match at an elite level which was hosted by the Club and Sky in September.
The match against Chelsea saw carbon emissions reduced as much as possible through measures including greener methods of team and Club staff travel, along with promoting plant-based food options, recycling and green travel options to fans.
Sky worked with long-term partner Natural Capital Partners, the leading experts on carbon neutrality and climate finance to offset Game Zero’s remaining emissions through a VCS and CCBA verified community reforestation project in East Africa.
Davinson said: “Climate change is something that is affecting us all – as players, this is something we are all aware of and why taking part in activities like tree planting is so important. I’m proud to play for a Club that takes these matters so seriously.”
Quentin Given, from Tottenham & Wood Green Friends of the Earth, said: “We are in a climate emergency and so we need to act at all levels, both to mitigate heating but also to adapt to the hotter future that is now inevitable.
“Trees help mitigate heating by absorbing CO2. Perhaps more importantly, in urban areas trees help mop up air pollution, and they will grow to provide shady places where people can come in future heat waves – during hot weather the air in woodland can be 5 or 6o cooler than in the open. And they’ll help other wildlife, birds and bees and butterflies and bugs.”
Earlier today, Sky published a case study on Game Zero, which revealed:
- Players arriving at the stadium on coaches powered by green biodiesel helped lower squad travel emissions by over 80%
- Fans walked 36,000 miles and drove 225,000 miles in electric or hybrid cars to and from the game
- Everything at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (including heating and cooking) is powered by 100% renewable energy – electricity and green gas
- All food served inside the stadium is locally and sustainably sourced with 94% more vegetarian and plant-based meals sold at this match, compared to the baseline game
- Sky achieved a 70% reduction in emissions from the Sky Sports production crew covering the match