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This week, EcoWorldly authors from six continents contributed articles on bicycling in their country. With exerpts from those articles and others in the blogosphere, here are seventeen very good reasons to bicycle no matter where you live. Click the headings as you go to read more.

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“Over 500,000 tons of feces are openly defecated every day to the environment around the world. That’s enough to fill the 30,000-seat Stade de Genève, where the Euro 2008 football tournament kicks off this weekend, three times over. But the global sanitation crisis is not a mere game: it pollutes the very environment upon which humans depend. Providing toilets and protecting the environment would be a winning combination for people and planet”, says the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC).

The above was an opening line from an email communication sent out this week from Geneva, Switzerland by David Trouba, communications officer of WSSCC to mark events around the World Environment Day on 5 June, and the Euro 2008 football tournament.

We are told that each year, more than 200 million tons of human waste go uncollected and untreated around the world, fouling the environment and exposing millions of people to disease and squalor.

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Since South Africa’s first democratic elections in 1994, the country has fruitfully hosted major sporting events. For example…

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Definitely not as ambitious as some other efforts we’ve seen from major leagues sports franchises, but it’s a start… and Scott told me this was something the team wanted to continue and expand. Since the Lou’ is such a sports town, I’m encouraged… and hope our other teams get on board (hello… Cardinals?). This is great way to promote green ideas.

St. Louisans… if you’d like to go, I’ve attached a coupon for ticket discounts for the event… make sure to connect with Scott. Let us know how it goes.

Discount coupon for Blues vs. Nashville Predators

Image source: St. Louis Blues

Pesticide exposure is a serious health risk to children. And while limiting, or better yet, eliminating ingested pesticides is important, consider the direct exposure your children may get while they play upon that green, green grass.

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A wind of change is blowing through the world of rugby. A green wind.

The 2007 Rugby World Cup, the 3rd largest sports event in the world with an estimated 2.5 million spectators from around the world, is being held in France from September 7 to October 20. The organizers, including a special rugby committee, a government agency and the French Rugby Federation, have vowed to make the event tangibly eco-friendly, and number of the players on the French team have given their names to the cause.

The French Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development issued a detailed press release at the end of August, outlining the three major axes of the Rugby World Cup environmental program: emissions calculations, concrete actions, and a publicity campaign. After calculating the impact that the six weeks of matches and festivities will have on the environment, including 570,000 tons of CO2 emissions, the government agency identified three spheres of action: public transport, renewable energies and waste management. Those actions, and other environmental issues, feature in the plan to raise awareness among the publics involved in the World Cup ― fans, employees, volunteers and television spectators ― with ecologically-oriented posters, leaflets and commercials.

The potential was great. The expectations were high. "This is it," I thought: the green movement is finally emerging from those polluted backwaters and, blown by the green wind, it is at long last moving into the mainstream. Even though I was not the proud holder of a ticket, I wanted to enjoy the atmosphere of fair play and bonhomie that characterizes rugby, witness the incredible growth of green, and relish the feeling of being one of the crowd, no more the eccentric tree-hugging freak of yore. What follows is an account of my experience last Friday at the "Stade de France," the Stadium of France, during the few hours preceding the opening ceremony and first match of the tournament, which pitted the French against the Argentineans.

The first sphere of action in the environmental program consists of the promotion and facilitation of public transport to and from the stadiums, and between the ten World Cup venues scattered across the country. The mythical Stade de France is located in the working-class suburb of Saint Denis, just a few miles north of the French capital. I took the D-line train from the centre of Paris out to Saint Denis without any trouble at all. It must be said, however, that my rapid journey cannot be attributed to the efficiency of the World Cup program since the D-line is part of the normal metropolitan subway and train system. No doubt the action in this sphere is going full guns, full eco-guns that is, at the other nine stadiums.

At the D-line station in Saint Denis, I joined the crowds for the 10 to 15 minute walk over to the Stade de France. Along the way, street vendors were selling flags, T-shirts and hats emblazoned with the French colors. One or two even dared to tout Argentinean merchandise. Others were selling hot dogs and drinks. I could not help but notice the trashcans along the way. They were already overflowing, glass plastic and paper all mixed together. Not to worry, I told myself, this sidewalk is not officially part of the stadium and therefore cannot possibly fall under the jurisdiction of the eco-friendly Rugby World Cup.

We continued on and down through a passage under the highway. Walking up the ramp on the other side, I tried to ignore more plastic cups strewn about. Then, there it was: the soaring stadium with a seating capacity of 80,000 that has hosted concerts by legends such as U2 and the Rolling Stones. The atmosphere was charged with a good-natured energy. Fans from across the globe were united by a common love of the game. Immediate bonds were being formed over sizeable jugs of beer.

A great green tent, with green flags flying, beckoned. Deep dark pine green. That must be the hub for the environmental publicity campaign, I thought. What a momentous occasion! The victory of the green revolution was upon us. The tears welled up in my eyes and a lump rose in my throat… but wait. What were those happy rugby revelers holding? Plastic cups. And what did those letters on the green tent spell? H-e-i-n-e-k-e-n. The great green tent, with green flags flying, beckoned. Deep dark bottle green.

Well, they weren’t biodegradable but at least those plastic goblets would be recycled, I consoled myself as I recalled that waste management is the third sphere of eco-action at the 2007 Rugby World Cup. I looked around for the closest recycling bin. There weren’t any close at hand, so I strolled round to the south side of the stadium. I strode to the north, then over to the east, and back to the west. I marched right around the colossal thing. Not a recycling bin in sight. All the green action must be inside the stadium, I concluded. But wasn’t that where all the rugby action was taking place? Besides, food and drink are forbidden inside the stadium, so all of the waste action was happening outside and none of it was being recycled.

What a disappointment. I was about to head back to Paris when I remembered that final axis of the environmental program, the publicity campaign. At the very least those jolly fans would be conscious of the contributions they can make to help save our planet, those small gestures in everyday life. That is, if they were not performing those green deeds already. Indeed, according to the press release those who had ordered their tickets by mail also received a leaflet containing practical information and a "clear message" about cooperating to achieve an eco-friendly World Cup with a "limited impact climate change."

I asked a few chaps from Paris if they had seen the message. They didn’t know what in the world I was talking about. When I mentioned the environmental program, one guy wondered if I was referring to the giant screens that are supposed to relay the games live for those who cannot afford to buy tickets.

Sharon and Paul were more willing to chat. They have come all the way from Tasmania, and will be attending 14 games. When I marveled at the distance they had traveled, Paul said, "Yeah, we walked. It took us three years." They bought their tickets eighteen months ago. "We bought tickets for Paris and tickets for Nantes," Sharon said. "We’re going to all the games in those two venues." When asked what came with the tickets, Sharon said "There was like a poster with maps of all the stadiums and lots of information about the center of the union, and things like that." There was one other thing. "When we bought the tickets, we had to sponsor a local rugby team somewhere in France," the couple said. Anything else, anything about the environment? Nope.

As I said goodbye to Paul and Sharon and wished them a happy World Cup, it became clear that the wind of change was nothing more than a lot of hot air, and that’s the last thing we need more of.

It was time to go home. Perhaps I would watch the weather lady on national French television. According to the press release, she will be "coaching" 10 million television spectators on the eco-friendly behavior they should adopt during the World Cup, "and after!" Then again, maybe I wouldn’t.

The green revolution lives! Long live the green revolution!

Image Source: blogrugby2007

French Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development

Green Options: What gave you the idea or motivated you to launch Fair Trade Sports?

Scott James: My passion is fighting extreme poverty and the problems caused by it. Fair Trade Sports is built to generate after-tax profits for children’s charities, from a Fair Trade foundation (e.g. adult workers - not coerced children - paid fair wages and ensured healthy working conditions). It also helps that I believe in the Fair Trade model and I’m a lifelong soccer player.

GO: You’ve gotten a lot of recent attention lately from Outside and Plenty magazines. Describe your "guerilla marketing" techniques and how this fits into a green business model.

SJ: (Laughing) It starts with having no marketing budget! We don’t need to support multi-million dollar marketing campaigns and sports star’s paid endorsements; instead, we ask our customers and champions to spread positive word of mouth about our mission and our quality products. True word-of-mouth is a great fit for any green business - just think of the resources you are saving (e.g. the trees needed and transportation costs for a direct mail postcard).

GO: Why are 70% of the world’s soccer balls made in Pakistan?

SJ: According to a myth, the sporting goods industry started in Sialkot, because an English man broke his tennis racket and, since an immediate replacement was not possible, he asked a local to repair it. The man did a perfect job, and the sports goods manufacturing industry took root in Sialkot.

Recorded history of the industry goes back to 1895 when the city started becoming famous for its tennis racquets. By 1903, cricket bats were being crafted from imported English willow and exported to different parts of South Asia and beyond. In 1922, one Mr. Syed, was awarded the British Empire Export Award for supplying footballs to the British Army. Over the years, the industry grew to include a variety of wood and leather-based sports equipment, and diversified into related industries such as sports apparel and riding equipment and even the Scottish bagpipes.

GO: Have you ever visited your manufacturer Talon in Pakistan?

SJ: Not yet; several of my business partners have multiple times. I started this company while my wife was pregnant (perhaps not the best timing). We just had our daughter a few weeks ago, so I expect to go sometime soon. I’ll take a video and photo crew to capture the story of our workers there.

GO: What is considered a living wage in Pakistan?

SJ: 4X the standard wage paid to adults.

GO: How are you assured that fair trade practices are utilized in the production of your merchandise?

SJ: FLO does unannounced spot checks of facilities and records for compliance. Their documentation is fairly complete.

GO: Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO) states that child labor has been "virtually eliminated" from this industry; however, you do not agree. Please explain.

SJ: The FLO document that makes that incorrect statement is still a good overall document on the positive programs happening at Talon, including their medical program - a first in the sporting goods industry in Pakistan. However, child labor has definitely not been "virtually eliminated" from the industry…not even close. Anyone can Google "Nike and Saga Sports" to see a long, repeated history of failures in this area.

GO: How can you afford to donate all of your after tax profits to charity?

SJ: Like Newman’s Own (the salad dressing and popcorn brand), we’re committed to giving away our "after-tax profits". Keep in mind that after-tax profits are defined as what’s left over after you pay items like salaries, utilities, and of course, your raw inventory. Each year, we’ll also retain a small portion of our proceeds to fund the following year’s growth (likely ~10%).

What’s left over usually gets distributed to shareholders. Given that my wife and I are the sole shareholders, and we are not interested in making Fair Trade Sports a wealth-generating operation, we decided to funnel the after-tax profits towards children’s charities. We expect to reach profitability in late 2007. Until then, we are donating $1000 annually to these organizations to benefit at-risk children worldwide.

GO: Can you describe some of the charities you donate to?

SJ: Yes, right now we donate to Room to Read (international children’s libraries) and the Boys & Girls Club of America. The idea is to help at-risk kids both here in the states and the communities where we source our sports balls.

GO: I love the alternative sleeve t-shirts! These shirts are produced by independent trade members. How do independent trade unions provide a solution to sweatshops?

SJ: The tee shirts are hip, for sure. The alternative sleeve gets alot of double-takes from people when you walk down the street. Everyone should check out USAS (http://www.studentsagainstsweatshops.org/) as well as the ILRF (http://www.ilfr.org/). Just a little bit of reading will show you a world of alternatives out there to sweatshops, as we’ve used for our tee shirt line and new technical training shirt line.

Sports Illustrated’s Michael Farber has written an open letter to Al Gore, pleading with the former Vice President to help green up the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup finals format.

Farber is concerned with the NHL’s current 2-2-1-1-1 system, wherein two games of the best-of-seven final series are played on one team’s home ice, followed by two games on their opponent’s home ice, returning back to the first team’s home ice, then to the opponent’s again, and finally – if seven games are required – one final game in the rink where the whole thing started. Confused? Perfect! Consider yourself a hockey fan.

Farber is seeking a more environment-friendly configuration:

You see, a 2-3-2 final would be a blessing for the environment. The NHL would be doing its patriotic best to be green — beyond its recycling of Anaheim Ducks defenseman Sean O’Donnell.

Lame jokes aside, Farber’s assessment is sound, and he has the math to support his supposition:

Under the current system, and if the series goes the full seven, you will fly to Anaheim for Game 1, back to Ottawa for Game 3, back to Anaheim for Game 5, back to Ottawa for Game 6, back to Anaheim for Game 7 and then, finally, home. That is six cross-continent flights, which is a lot of jet fuel…. But if this were an ecologically-sound 2-3-2 final, Ottawa would fly to Anaheim for Game 1, home for Game 3, back to California for Game 6 and then back to Canada’s capital when it’s over. Two trips would have been averted….

The NHL, Farber points out, used the 2-3-2 format exactly twice before in the mid-1980s, but abandoned it – as it tends to do with most innovations, stuck forever in an old-school mentality that hockey purists prefer. Farber believes Al Gore is the sport’s best hope for a green change.

Canada generally seems to get behind green initiatives, so perhaps the Stanley Cup finals could be the next step. Or at least one of the next steps, for as Farber reasons, there’s always room for environmental ingenuity:

My next thought: fuel-efficient Zambonis.

That's right, sports fans. After a long, cold winter, the 2007 baseball season is just around the corner!

While many of you this time of year are watching the madness of 19 year-olds tossing balls at hoops, I'm spending my time examining Oakland A's box scores, listening to webcasts of Spring Training games, participating in Fantasy Baseball drafts (team name: Renewable Synergy), and, most importantly, keeping track of the latest efforts by Major League Baseball and its teams to "go green".

There's plenty of good eco-news coming from Major League front offices lately. Just last week, the San Francisco Giants announced that they're becoming the first team to install solar panels at their ballpark. (Our very own Senior Editorial Correspondent Jeff McIntire-Strasburg wrote about it at Treehugger, too.) Best of all, the Giants are installing the panels on the port walk by McCovey Cove, so every time Barry Bonds launches one of his signature "Splash Hit" home runs, the panels will be prominently displayed on Bay Area television and nationwide on highlight shows. If Barry himself really wants to help the cause, I'd suggest that he do his best to break Hank Aaron's home run record during a home game. If he did, the panels would become a big part of baseball history when the upper deck camera pans from home plate toward the water beyond the right field wall. Just make sure to pull it, Barry.

Other teams are showing some earth love, too. The Washington Nationals and Minnesota Twins are in a race to become the first team with a LEED Certified stadium. In seeking LEED recognition from the United States Green Building Council, the teams are planning to minimize and filter waste streams, design for energy efficiency, incorporate public transportation considerations into their planning, and take dozens of other eco-conscious steps.

The New York Yankees have hired the one of the same architectural firms as the Nationals (HOK) for the new Yankee Stadium project, though the Yankees haven't yet announced any plans to go green in the Bronx. They are the Evil Empire, so I'm not holding my breath. (Sorry, I'm still not over Game 3 of the 2001 playoffs. Where did Jeter come from!? Slide, Jeremy. Slide!)

There's also good news for those of us who choose to leave meat out of our plates: there's stuff for us to eat at the ballpark! Just a few years ago, we were stuck with peanuts and Crackerjacks at most stadiums. Now, you can get a veggie dog or veggie burger almost anywhere, and at the best venues, the selection is even much more exotic than that. When PETA ranked the top 10 veg-friendly ballparks last year, the Giants stole the show with such offerings as grilled vegetable kebabs, grilled veggie baguettes, and vegetarian sushi. My A's were ranked fourth, though I was disappointed when I walked into the Coliseum last April and discovered the Black Muslim Bakery no longer had their booth with lots of yummy vegan food behind home plate. The Yankees? Not on the list. They didn't even get an honorable mention. Figures. They must not have room for vegetables in their budget what with their $9 billion payroll and all.

For greeniac baseball fans, the hits just keep on coming. There are advanced recycling and waste reduction programs already in place at several stadiums, my forward-thinking Oakland A's became the first team to sell adult beverages in compostable, cornstarch-based cups, and Major League Baseball has formed a partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council to help the league green its act.

I know there are lots of other green initiatives being implemented stadiums all across the country. What have you seen at your local ballpark? What changes would you like to see?

See you at the ballpark. Enjoy the season, everyone! (Yankees fans not included.)

Clearly, environmentalists aren’t the only ones talking about global warming anymore: it’s affecting ski resorts, insurance companies, and a host of cultural institutions like the wide world of sports: The Miami Dolphins have built a climate-controlled bubble to avoid the extreme Florida heat during practices, seven World Cup ski racing events in Europe have been cancelled this season because of warmer temperatures, and Alaska’s Iditarod dogsled race hasn’t started at its traditional location in five years because of lack of snow.

So what is the sport world’s part in fighting global warming? Make sure stadiums are easily accessible by mass transit and install renewable energy systems (solar or wind) on stadiums are a few ideas. But many professional organizations and athletes are taking action now:

• Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA has a water filtration and reuse system that collects and recirculates "black" and "gray water" to make the most of all that beer and all those flushes.

• Saints safety Steve Gleason runs his Dodge Ram pickup on biodiesel.

• The NFL planted 3,000 trees around Florida to try to offset Super Bowl XLI’s estimated one million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, a main contributor to global warming.

• NASCAR driver Ward Burton's foundation is pledged to habitat management, land conservation and environmental education in his home state of Virginia.

Ken Rakoz of Centralia, WA built the first biodiesel-powered dragster. He told Sports Illustrated:

"In the environmental movement there's way too much preaching to the choir. There are people sitting on the fence, and Joe Sixpack doesn't really know about [biodiesel] until we do something like racing."

As it impacts us all more and more, creative and meaningful action from all sectors of society will be critical to fighting it. There’s no wild card for the planet in the league of global warming.

Sports Illustrated

In addition to the above, the Superbowl will also recycle souvenirs (and waste) and also donate uneaten food to charities. This is a bit of a precedent for one of America's largest sporting events and will hopefully be a permanent aspect.

Of course, the Superbowl is not the only sporting venue with environmental aspirations. The City of Manchester's pro footy team recently announced a plan to build a wind turbine to power their stadium and the homes around it. Set to go up this year, the turbine will produce 2MW of power and be visible from every seat! Here in the U.S., with the winds blowing off of Lake Erie at a good clip, I know the Buffalo Bills stadium could benefit from a similar course of design!

Check out the TH article for more info — and be sure to check out the eco-friendly Superbowl ads this year as well! Pass the pizza!

Over 50 ski resorts across the nation are using renewable energy, and one of the most recent resorts to join the green ranks is Crystal Mountain in Michigan.

Crystal Mountain – ranked the #1 Midwest ski resort by Ski Magazine in 2005 – buys wind power from a third party to power its high-speed chair lift. The carbon dioxide pollution saved from using clean power instead of coal is about the same as taking 55 cars off the road. Crystal Mountain's Joan O'Neill told the Detroit News:

Global warming does affect our business…we want to make sure we combat it as best we can and lead by example.

Unfortunately, the electric grid doesn’t allow power from closer states like Minnesota to be directed to Michigan. Instead, Crystal is buying the equivalent amount of power it takes to run the high-speed lift from Colorado-based Renewable Choice Energy, which then pushes that amount of power onto the grid, displacing more dirty forms of energy with clean ones.

Crystal Mountain is encouraging its customers to be part of the solution as well. It offers free or discounted lift tickets to those who sign their homes up for green energy.