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UVM’s club sports program has just recently calculated their carbon footprint and realized what a negative impact they have been making on our planet. The transportation of our 55 club sports teams alone emits about 80 tons of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. However, the club sports program has decided to become active in combating this issue.

 The Club Sports Council has created the Club Sports Carbon Offset Initiative with the goal of offsetting the carbon emissions produced by the teams each year.

The transportation of our athletes 146,300 miles this past year has emitted 80 metric tons of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere.

Carbon dioxide is the most significant greenhouse gas that is produced by human activities. Due to the recent increase in industrialization across the world, the amount of carbon dioxide has risen.

When it enters our atmosphere, carbon dioxide causes an increase in the earth’s overall temperature, among many other negative effects.

So far, UVM is the only university that is actively taking steps in the right direction to make a change.

“The world’s greenhouse gas emissions have continued to skyrocket in the last few years,” said Justin King, UVM Club Sports Council member in a video presentation introducing this project. “As University of Vermont students and entrepreneurs in environmental stewardship, it is our job to protect our earth.”

 The goal of the program is to raise about $1,000, which will be donated to plant more trees in an area named Rift Valley located in Kenya. This act alone would offset 80 tons of carbon dioxide, leveling out the impact of the club sports’ carbon emissions.

With the help of the UVM community, their project is well on its way.

“We cannot reach our goals of carbon neutrality without the help of our fellow Catamount students,” said King.

Club sports held two fundraiser events this past week. Club sports paired up with UVM FeelGood to feature a new sandwich to raise money. The sandwich, a “grilled cheese pizza,” was built with cheese, local barbeque sauce, local apples and onions, all topped on pizza crust.

“Local ingredients were used to reduce more carbon emissions,” Hailey Ronconi, UVM club sports officer and marketing assistant, said.

The second fundraiser was a Tree Dance Party this past Friday. With a $1 donation, students had the chance to win a raffle, participate in dance offs, listen to music and simply have a great time.

“What better way to reach our goal than by hosting a tree themed dance party,” said Roncoi. “In this way, not only could we raise money to reach our goals, but we can also raise everyone’s awareness on the issue, and have a great time.”

If the club sports program achieves this goal of becoming carbon neutral, it will be the first of its kind nationally and internationally.

“Our hope is to set a standard for green initiatives for other club sports programs around the nation,”  King said.