The Seattle Sounders are making history by going carbon-neutral.
The club announced on Thursday that their 2019 operations will make no net contribution to atmospheric carbon dioxide, thanks to a thorough review of every department in the organization, the help of a local sustainability consulting group and some ecologically-minded service projects. They're the first pro soccer team in North America to do so.
From their business office in Pioneer Square – including paper and energy use, waste and recycling policies and employee commuting – to their training and match facilities at the Starfire and CenturyLink Field venues to the travel activities of fans and club staff alike, the Sounders have painstakingly minimized their carbon footprint.
And for those sources of greenhouse gas emission they were unable to eliminate, Seattle are offsetting them via the Evergreen Carbon Capture initiative, run by local sustainability nonprofit Forterra.
“We’re incredibly excited to announce that our club is officially carbon neutral,” said Sounders owner Adrian Hanauer in a statement. “The Sounders have always been committed to investing in our community, and that includes recognizing the immense responsibility we have as environmental stewards. Sustainability is a key pillar of our club.”
To kick off the offset program, the Sounders and their conservation partners are hosting a tree-planting event at Point Rediscovery on Hamm Creek in Burian, Washington on Sunday, February 24; the general public is invited to join Sounders players and coaches as they plant 370 trees.
