LA Galaxy and MLS aim to fight plastic waste with recycled jersey

  • Adam Wentworth

The club has been the home of such stars as Landon Donovan, David Beckham, and Zlatan Ibrahimović.

But American soccer team LA Galaxy is now planning to switch focus off the field with a series of events over the next week to support sustainability initiatives in sport, and the local Californian community.

As part of its third Greener Goals Week of Service starting on 16 April, the team will also play one match using a limited edition jersey made entirely out of plastic recovered from beaches and coastal communities. The 22 other clubs in the Major League Soccer (MLS) group will also wear similarly upcycled shirts.

US organisation Parley intercepts the plastic and then repurposes the material to make sporting equipment. The jersey made specially for the event is also available to purchase online. The company has a strong reputation with leading brands in the sporting world; Adidas recently announced that it had sold one million of their recycled plastic trainers.

It is the second year in a row that MLS has partnered with Parley on the project. JoAnn Neale, who leads of social responsibility said the MLS is “committed to reducing our carbon footprint and raising awareness about environmental issues, including plastic pollution. We’re proud to support Parley for the Oceans and encourage the soccer community to create a cleaner, healthier environment.”

The week, organised by MLS Works, will promote environmental initiatives and the importance of reducing plastic waste. This includes continuing the team’s Protect the Pitch initiative where local schools are given a tour of the stadium and learn conservation skills.

MLS Works, the league’s community outreach scheme, will be sharing advice and tips on how fans can reduce their carbon footprint and reduce waste when attending games. The week ends with a celebration on 22 April for Earth Day, which has ending plastic pollution as its main theme this year.

Climate Action is hosting the 3rd Sustainable Innovation in Sport Forum on 2-3 May at the Amsterdam ArenA in the Netherlands. To find out more, visit the Sustainable Innovation in Sport website.

 

Photo Credit: Adidas