Manchester United footballer and ex-England player Gary Neville is teaming up with the boss of Ecotricity to make sport greener.
Green electricity supplier
Ecotricity founder
Dale Vince and green enthusiast,
Gary Neville, will unveil their joint initiative '
Sustainability In Sport' at
Manchester United ground
Old Trafford next Tuesday (May 24). The stadium is hosting a testimonial match for Neville against Juventus, and the player has decided to mark it with the public launch of his new charity that will support sustainable projects within the community. To mark the launch of 'Sustainability in Sport’, Ecotricity will power the game entirely by wind. Football legend David Beckham is expected to take part in the low carbon fixture, along with Phil Neville and Nicky Butt.
Describing the sustainability project as "very exciting", Neville said sport could be a "positive" force in helping to deliver a low carbon economy.
"I believe sport crosses all boundaries and plays a significant role in many people’s lives. From my perspective we have to look at the effect sport has had on other issues over the last 20 years to see that when sport comes together with society, positive actions can happen," he said.
Vince added: "We're kicking off with a wind powered testimonial but that really is just the start. Sustainability In Sport is a great idea, its mission is very close to our hearts (both mine and Gary's) – to take the eco message into the world of football and sport more generally."
The first project to be come out of Sustainability in Sport, will be a community solar scheme in Manchester using Mitsubishi solar panels.
Eco home
Neville’s interest in sustainability has developed over the last few years and was partly sparked by his plans to build a zero carbon home. The £6 million self-powered underground building on the edge of the West Pennine Moors, which has been likened to the set of the 'Teletubbies’ children TV show, has finally been given planning permission after a long battle with locals.
"I have recognised in the last two to three years the need to make personal changes in my life and reducing my environmental impact is going to be a five year transition for me and my family, but with planning permission for my new eco home being granted and my association with wind turbines, I’m on track to complete this journey," Neville said.
Green pioneerEnvironmental entrepreneur Dale Vince has been driving home the eco message through his pioneering green energy company, Ecotricity, a company that has grown significantly over the last year and now supplies 46,000 customers. It operates 16 wind parks generating over 30 megawatts of electricity and plans to increase its capacity by 40 per cent in 2011. It is also building one of the UK’s first solar parks and, last year, launched the country’s first Ecobond.
Tickets for Gary Neville’s testimonial in support of sustainability projects cost between £15 and £35 and can be purchased
here.
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