{"id":9091,"date":"2022-06-21T14:20:29","date_gmt":"2022-06-21T14:20:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.reading.ac.uk\/connected\/?p=9091"},"modified":"2022-06-21T14:21:37","modified_gmt":"2022-06-21T14:21:37","slug":"a-striking-sustainability-partnership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.reading.ac.uk\/connected\/2022\/06\/21\/a-striking-sustainability-partnership\/","title":{"rendered":"A Striking Sustainability Partnership"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The University and Reading Football Club are \u2018partnering for the planet\u2019 to help the Club take steps towards minimising its environmental impact and improving its sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

The partnership is being announced today to mark #ShowYourStripes Day<\/a> (21 June 2022), which sees thousands of people and organisations share a climate change infographic created by one of Reading\u2019s climate scientists \u2013 Professor Ed Hawkins MBE \u2013 every year on the summer solstice.<\/p>\n

Reading Football Club (Reading FC) will be supported by the University to deliver a 10-point plan to begin reducing its carbon footprint \u2013 including investigating solar panel options at its stadium and supporting fans to recycle more on matchdays.<\/p>\n

The University will offer the knowledge and expertise of its sustainability team and researchers to assist the Club in making progress, with the help of its loyal fanbase.<\/p>\n

Professor Hawkins said:<\/p>\n

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\u201cI love that Reading FC is using the warming stripes to start its own conversation around sustainability and to raise awareness of their important message among its large fanbase.<\/p>\n

“The steps the Club is seeking to take are positive and we are pleased as a University to be joining forces with people across Reading in a new way to make the town greener.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Tim Kilpatrick, Commercial Director at Reading FC, said: \u201cThis is the beginning of a long journey, not an ego-trip. We may not be perfect but, much like the majority of our fans in our stands, we can be better and help achieve a brighter future for our planet.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe hope that this partnership inspires more climate conversations, and through action at the stadium and the buy-in from Reading fans everywhere, we can all play our part.\u201d<\/p>\n

Building a more sustainable future<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Photo credit: JASONPIX<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Club\u2019s ground staff already use electric mowers to maintain its pitches, a transition towards LED lighting at both the stadium and training ground complex is under way, and matchday bus travel is heavily subsidised to encourage fans to leave their cars at home.<\/p>\n

As a result of the new partnership, the Club will be embarking on a number of wide-ranging initiatives including:<\/p>\n