Football, Gender & Environmentalism, the ultimate hat-trick?
by Helen Steiger
What's Going On Here?
This season's Premier League has begun, and in celebration, Edie has ranked all teams on their sustainability. Manchester City AND United are leading the title race...with Norwich and Crystal Palace sat in relegation! Is it possible for environmental action amongst football clubs to help to engage more guys in climate action!?
What Does This Mean?
All clubs were ranked on their efforts to use low-carbon energy sources, their resource-efficiency and their use of energy management champions.
Yes, this is not really a scientific ranking, but it does show how all aspects of our life can be, and should be, more environmentally friendly. It is also a brave attempt to engage an audience who have been shown to see sustainability and environmentalism as a lower league concern.
Why Should We Care?
Because caring for the environment continues to be an overwhelmingly feminine issue in the developed world. A recent international study of over 2,000 people found that being environmentally ‘good’ was associated as a feminine trait. Caring for the planet tends to be associated with nurturing and caring - often seen as feminine qualities. This damaging association is isolating half of our population!!
This also relates to a wider problem of sustainability and environmental awareness being an issue of the white middle class. Tackling climate change and promoting good actions for our planet needs to involve everyone and work is still needed to think about how we engage other demographics and audiences with the environmental movement. Netflix’s ‘Our Planet’, Justin Bieber’s climate change tune and the presence of young adult Greta Thurnberg are helping to engage new audiences. However, more is needed, particularly to encourage men to embrace sustainability as much as their female counterparts.
Football can also be an instigator for positive social change, with research by Stanford University finds showing reduced Islamophobia in Merseyside since the Mo Salah's arrival at Liverpool!
Be Curious!
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