Say No To CO2 by Sean Antonioli

This week, Sean Antonioli asks us to consider the hidden cost of the World Cup. By adapting Rio de Janerio’s most famous icon, Christo Rendentor, he reminds us that behind the blue skies, beautiful stadiums, and balletic football lies a considerable environmental shadow.

“It still amazes me that some of the games were as far apart as London to New York,” says Sean. “This World Cup will always be linked to excessive CO2 pollution in my mind. It’s an issue worth raising so that we don’t make the same mistakes in the future as the games get bigger, more expensive, and gain an ever-increasing world following. It is for this reason that sustainability needs to step out the shadows and into the light. Let’s cut down the flying time and make the game greener.”

Why?

Fans, footballers, broadcasters, food suppliers, stadium construction, flights into Brazil, flights around Brazil, local taxis, expensive limos for FIFA execs, the list goes on – all add to a CO2 bill that is likely to be double that of the 2010 competition.

How?

Why not offset some of the carbon burden by holidaying in the UK? Here are ten great locations to get you going. Or if you’re really looking forward to exploring a new country and culture this summer, take the train instead of flying. Loco2 is a really useful website to help you book trains from England to European destinations.