http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7s_2BBSnj4

Momentum is really gathering in this space and I’m very pleased that it is. A year ago sport and social responsibility conferences were still dominated by other more established social agendas such as health or social inclusion. At the recent Beyond Sport awards, only seven projects filled the Sport/Environment category out of over 200 applications, and this was only two months ago.

With the count-down to the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen and the urgency to identify other mechanisms with which to engage the public to change their over consuming behaviour, Sport is increasingly the vehicle of choice.  There are still questions to be evaluated over whether sport can really inspire long term change. Eon’s partnership for example with the FA Cup claimed a saving of 22,000 tonnes of CO2, through pledges made by fan’s, but did their “Carbon Footyprint” campaign make any lasting behavioural change?

Almost exactly a year ago, I wrote an article for Sport Business magazine about the opportunity for global brands developing links with environmentally clean sports and suggested that this could provide a welcome financial boost for some of our minority sports.  This week, sailing has been given a shot in the arm as the Government funded Carbon Trust has joined forces with Sir Keith Mills, multi-million pound America’s Cup campaign, the “Race for Change” to inspire action against climate change and encourage global partners to join the programme and fund the British Teams chances of winning one of sport’s oldest trophies.

Will it work? The key here lies in the mission and values of the Project and its leaders. Certainly the image of the sport is very strong, but not strong enough if the programme and the partners don’t walk the talk. And what about the Fan’s – do they switch off when their sporting elite suddenly start talking like politicians, or are they inspired to follow their lead?

Over the last few years we have spent some time in this space, particularly with our own project, BLUE.  Much of that time has been spent researching the touch points for behaviour change and wrestling with the un-inspiring language of climate change, which still does little to motivate people to care for the environment. There is a lot that can be learnt from working with behaviour change psychologists and also young people, who seem to be far more in touch with the planet limited resources.

I’m certainly convinced that sport can play a major part in inspiring positive change for our environment, but it is essential that Sir Keith Mills and his team stays close to their core values and often in sport, a winning mentality can start to blur the edges.

Conrad Humphreys, Managing Director, Sport Environment,

Canada’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes have teamed up with the Masters of Digital Media (MDM) students to launch Project Blue Sky – http://www.projectbluesky.ca.

Inspired by athletes, built by students and supported by the Official Carbon Offset Supplier to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Offsetters Clean Technology Inc. (Offsetters), and the Vancouver 2010 Organizing Committee (VANOC), Project Blue Sky uses the latest in on-line digital tools to motivate individuals and groups to take steps in their personal lives to fight climate change through increased physical activity and sustainable travel.

“Project Blue Sky is a place where you can connect with your favourite athletes, challenge your friends, tell your story and use kilometres to track your efforts to reduce your carbon emissions. You can cut your carbon emissions by cycling, walking, taking public transit or by coming up with other physically ingenious ways to save energy,” said B.C. Olympian Dave Calder, silver medallist (Rowing), a member of the Canadian Olympic Committee’s (COC) Athletes’ Council that has spearheaded development of the project.

Calder and his fellow COC athletes believe the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games represent an important opportunity to encourage more people to take action on climate change as well as draw attention to carbon saving initiatives already underway. “VANOC and its partners have set an ambitious goal of convening carbon neutral Games. Project Blue Sky’s goal is on an equally ambitious scale: by the end of the Closing Ceremonies for the Paralympic Games in March 2010 we want to have inspired individuals who care about climate change to contribute 1 billion kilometres of carbon-reducing activities from their daily lives.”

For full article please see: http://www.olympic.ca/en/news/project-blue-sky/

Adventure writer for the Daily Telegraph, Tarquin Cooper, writes about how a growing number of world class athletes are reinventing themselves as adventurers.  Why is this, you may ask yourselves.  Tarquin talks about athletes looking for a bit of variety but we like to think that it is more about athletes wanting to participate in more sporting activities that take part in and highlight the beauty of our natural environment.  To read the full article, courtesy of the Daily Telegraph, please click here.

Teresa, Sport Environment

The Sunday Times features BLUE Ambassador Sam Davies on the front page (Sunday 15 February 2009) after she finished the Vendee Globe - a 96 day ocean sailing battle round the world, single handed.  To see the front page courtesy of the Sunday Times, please click here, and to read the article, please click here.

Samsung is the first mobile phone manufacturer to launch a solar-powered mobile phone.  Called ‘Blue Earth’, the device was unveiled for the first time at the mobile world congress, this week. 

Ideal for developing markets where individuals spend long periods of time without access to electricity, the device is made from recycled plastic water bottles and is capable of measuring your carbon footprint.

A full charge taking 10-14 hours in the sun would offer about four hours of talk time.  The phone can also be plugged in to charge, with the solar panels used to top up the battery to extend power.

The Samsung Blue Earth phone, which has been designed to look like a flat shiny pebble, enabling users to flaunt their environmental credentials, will be launched initially in Europe in the second half of 2009.

This is a great product for any adventure sports men and women or indeed anyone who has limited access to mains electricity, and it’s environmentally friendly too.

Teresa, Sport Environment

For further information, please click here.

Google Inc. today, launched the latest version of Google Earth which provides users with the ability to look more closely at the oceans around the world.  Users can now drop below the ocean surface and explore the seafloor with thousands of data points that include video and images of ocean life.  Google hope that this new version of Google Earth will help users to understand the important role that our oceans play in our global climate and the vital need to protect them.  To read the full article courtesy of Computerworld, please click here.

Last year, BLUE Ambassadors and 180 Degress Pole to Pole explorers, James Hooper and Rob Gautlett were awarded with the prestigious 2008 National Geographic Adventurers of the Year award.  Following the tragic death of Rob earlier this month in a climbing accident, James Hooper speaks to the National Geographic on future plans and continuing Rob’s legacy.  To read the full article, courtesy of The National Geographic, please click here.

The other sailiors in the Vendee Globe like sailing boats but Sam Davies also like’s being at sea.  Steven Morris reports for The Guardian on the successes that Sam Davies is having in the Vendee Globe Single Handed Round the World Yacht Race, being the top Briton in 4th place overall and her level headed approach to any challenges put in her way.  To read the full article, courtesy of The Guardian, please click here.

Conrad Humphreys, Managing Director of Sport Environment, shares his thoughts with Sport Business Magazine, on whether the sports world can unite to combat climate change.  

Click here to view the full article, courtesy of Sport Business Magazine (December 2008 issue).

Rob Gauntlett - 180 Degrees Pole to Pole Explorer

On the very same day that Sam Davies was celebrating her successful exit of the Southern Ocean as she passed the southern tip of South America, another of our BLUE Ambassadors, Rob Gauntlett was tragically killed whilst ice-climbing in the Gervasutti couloirs on Mt. Blanc.  The elation that we felt for Sam, who lies 4^th in the Vendee Globe was suddenly replaced by shock and deep sadness for Rob and his climbing colleague, James Atkinson.

Both Sam and Rob are inspirational young people who live life to the full. They are articulate, caring role models with a passion and a thirst for life.  They look at the world and see such positivity. It is this characteristic that really sums up what BLUE is about.

I hope that both Rob and Sam’s courage will push us all to get more from life.

Conrad”

If you would like to post a tribute to Rob Gauntlett or a few words of sympathy to Rob’s family and friends, you can do so online at www.theblueproject.org/robgauntletttributes.