Not just claret and blue, but green too

SPL is an organisation that records and measures the initiatives of professional sports clubs to reduce their environmental impact, and has placed Burnley F.C. sixth in the table.

The rating comes at a time when the club, with the support of supporter’s group Sustainable Clarets, has been working hard to bring about positive changes.

Matt Hargreaves, facilities manager, explains: “There are initiatives underway all through the club infrastructure which have the aim of lessening our impact on the environment. The club understands our responsibilities and we are committed to reducing our environmental impact as much as possible over the coming years. We know that this is a journey that still has a distance to travel, but we are proud to have ranked so highly in this report.”

A range of initiatives are taking place across the club’s Barnfield training ground and the Turf Moor stadium, including electricity at both locations generated from renewable sources.

The club is in the final phases of making all urinals in the stadium waterless, which will reduce water consumption by around one million litres each year.

Biodiversity has been encouraged at the training ground, with the development and retention of wooded and wetland areas, and the addition of a natural roof on the first team building.

The fact that the training ground is situated next to the River Calder is also used to its advantage. The club has an extraction licence, so they can use the water to irrigate the pitches at certain times of the year, lessening the need for treated water. It also treats wastewater and puts it back into the river.

These are just a few examples of the club’s initiatives; fans are encouraged to get involved by visiting www.pledgeball. org and committing to make a small lifestyle change of their own.