Introducing a football club with an environmental mission

At Wavezero, we’re always looking to cover football clubs' latest sustainability initiatives. We’ve mostly focused on the climate ambitions of English clubs such as Oxford United, Bournemouth, and Brighton, but recently, a club across the pond caught our attention.

Based in the Green Mountain State, Vermont Green Football Club is on a mission to embed environmental justice in all aspects of the organisation. 2024 was only the third season in this club’s history, as May 2022 marked the kick-off of their journey in the USL League 2.

It’s a growing club, and in May, they shared their ambition of having a women’s team. A first step to reaching this was organising the club’s first women’s exhibition match in June, with US Women’s National Team legend Sam Mewis coaching the team to victory in front of a sold-out crowd.

They strongly believe football can play a key role in advocating for environmental and social justice at local and global levels. That’s why they prioritise the environment in all their decisions when considering the club’s growth, from strategy to culture.

Environmental justice is paramount to them, as the consequences of climate change are strongly interconnected with human rights and social causes. On the solutions side, effectively tackling the climate crisis will require community solidarity and togetherness.

Vermont Green FC shows how football can be a catalyst for sustainability

As part of its sustainability strategy, Vermont Green FC aims to follow the guidance set by the Science Based Targets initiative and reach net zero. On this journey, they started by tracking emissions to identify emissions reduction opportunities with their partners and fans.

The club’s home games are played at the University of Vermont, which sources 100% of its electricity from renewable sources. To get to Virtue Field, the club encourages its fans, staff, and players to carpool, bike, walk, or take the bus.

At all games, waste is sorted in trash, recycling and compost bins, but that’s not the only thing recovered from the game. In partnership with Wasted*, the club has installed portable toilets that collect human waste so that it can be processed into natural fertilizer.

These environmental commitments are reflected in the jerseys worn by the players. In 2023, the “wildflower” home jersey was made from organic cotton, recycled polyester from plastic bottles, hemp and upcycled cotton from manufacturing waste.

When looking at Vermont Green FC’s sustainability initiatives, the focus on involving their community on their journey to net zero stands out. That rang particularly true when the club was impacted by the physical effects of climate change.

Vermont Green FC’s community-oriented approach to climate action

The 2023 Canadian wildfires were felt in Vermont, with poor air quality impeding Vermont Green FC’s ability to host a game. Not only were the skies filled with smog, but these fires were followed by catastrophic floods.

Vermont Green FC’s staff, fans, and players came together to support displaced families and the towns that had been destroyed. They donated funds to environmental non-profits supporting relief efforts, and they gathered supplies for the community.

Supporting environmental non-profits is core to the club’s mission. As a 1% for the Planet Member, they donate 1% of their annual sales to organisations such as Friends of the Winooski River, Intervale Center, the NOFA Farmer Emergency Fund and 350 Vermont.

This advocacy is also found during games, specifically at halftime. Vermont Green FC has welcomed leaders from mission-aligned organisations to speak to their fans about topics such as land conservation, sustainable transportation and renewable energy to educate and raise awareness.

“This community’s enthusiasm for soccer and their dedication to Vermont Green FC’s larger mission is nothing short of inspiring. The level of support we’re seeing here in Vermont is a testament to our state’s values and the growth of soccer at the local level. We’re beyond grateful to our fans, and we’re so excited for what 2025 will bring.”

Patrick Infurna, Co-Founder of Vermont Green FC

Vermont Green FC has exciting things to come, including the release of its 2024 Environmental Justice Mission Report and the 2025 season, for which the 1,300 season tickets sold out in just over 24 hours. You can count on Wavezero to cover their next achievements on and off the pitch!