Q&A with SEA Member Tennis Victoria

Sports Environment Alliance (SEA) is proud to protect the places where we play sport, by driving change and providing the sports community with the equipment, network, knowledge, and training to secure a clean future. 

SEA also celebrates the work and achievements of its members and shares outcomes, challenges, and key takeaways with the wider industry network, so we can collectively do more {for the world} with less {footprint}.

This week, SEA was pleased to chat to Fiona Young, Manager – Places to Play, about the relationship between sport and climate change, some of Tennis Victoria’s recent sustainability work and a preview of what is planned for the year ahead. Read on for more.

SEA: Fiona, how would you, on behalf of Tennis Victoria, describe the relationship between sport and the environment?

Fiona Young: Interconnected – as in a yin and yang relationship. We are dependent on a constant climate to provide suitable conditions such as temperatures, winds, or snowfall, to facilitate participation, competition, and events. A beautiful day weather-wise is a great day for sport, particularly tennis. However, the effects of climate change - rising average temperatures, harsher, longer fire periods, and more frequent and intense extreme weather events – are now negatively impacting our sporting lifestyle and the places where we play. You only have to think back to recent Australian Open Tennis events. In 2018 the Extreme Heat Policy required a substantial review, after consecutive days of temperatures above 40oC (on court temperatures are hotter again) played havoc with both players’ and spectators’ health. Then, the 2019-20 summer bushfires blanketed Melbourne with toxic smoke, disrupting play and causing match retirements.

SEA: How do you see the impact of sport on the environment and vice versa?

Fiona Young:

Impact of sport on the environment 

Sport is a leading contributor to environmental damage. From player and fan travel to the construction of facilities, manufacture of equipment and uniforms, sport uses an abundance of resources and produces a high volume of carbon emissions.

It’s probably more obvious in big arena professional sports, where you see large numbers of players, officials and fans travelling to and from the event, high energy use through lighting, sound and catering activities, and the creation of large volumes of waste requiring disposal.

We don’t often think of the effect sport infrastructure development - where you are artificially shaping a location to suit a specific sport field of play – can have on the natural ecosystem. 

Impact of the environment on sport

There is no doubt that climate change is significantly impacting the sport sector - community participants, elite athletes, events, competitions, venues, and organisations. It is likely that there will be an increasing occurrence of disrupted events, affecting player experience, competition format and organisational viability. Recurring damage to facilities from extreme weather events may result in insurance being unobtainable or premiums being unaffordable for community clubs. The 2020-21 Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns have provided an insight into the social and mental health issues that arise from the loss of the community connectedness provided by participation in sport.

SEA: Why does Tennis Victoria believe that sustainability is important in sport?

Fiona Young: We enjoy the experience of playing tennis in a clean, comfortable environment and we want to ensure that upcoming generations have the same opportunity.  We recognise we have a responsibility to play our part by reducing emissions, consuming responsibility, and future-proofing tennis.       

Sport has a level of influence on society through community, fans, partners, players, and workforce. If we can demonstrate, promote, and educate on sustainable practices within grassroots tennis then, hopefully, this has the potential to inspire the community at large to become more conscious of their own impact on the environment.

SEA: Why did Tennis Victoria decide to become a SEA member?

Fiona Young: Tennis Victoria joined SEA, I think, back in 2018. We were embarking on our Energy Reduction project and were interested to learn more from the SEA network. Our parent body, Tennis Australia, was already on board and we were keen to be part of an important collective voice for sport.

SEA: What are the main benefits you gain as a SEA member?

Fiona Young: Networking and collaboration opportunities, access to resources and forums, discounts on conferences (e.g., the recent Sport Positive Summit).

SEA: What are some of your recent sustainability initiatives you can share?

Fiona Young: Tennis Victoria and the Australian Energy Foundation (AEF) partnered on a project (pre-Covid) to look at energy usage in community tennis clubs across the State, with the view to providing strategies to reduce consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as reducing the financial burden on clubs. Unsurprisingly, the biggest cost is associated with court lighting, and we have pitched to State Government for funding to support clubs to convert inefficient, old-style lighting to LED as well as installing solar panels.

We have also supported recycling initiatives with Game On Recycling (tennis balls and racquets) and Upparel (old staff uniforms) as well as energy tariff reviews through Niche Corporate. You can check out the details on our website here.

Early stages - but we are also excited to be exploring partnership options with Tuff Group in their new synthetic surface recycling business – Re4orm.  

SEA: What is on Tennis Victoria’s radar when it comes to sustainability?

Fiona Young: Having looked at the energy usage and carbon footprint of our community tennis clubs across the State, our next major project is establishing a baseline for our own organisational emissions. This project will be kicking off in early November with a report due by February 2023. The results will help shape our roadmap for the journey to net zero.

Tennis Australia is in the process of finalising a Sustainability Strategy featuring three pillars – Planet, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Mental Health & Wellbeing – so we are also involved in the working groups attached to each pillar. Fortunately, our actions (at SSA level) align well with what is being proposed in the planet space.

SEA: What would you say to other sports organisations currently starting out on their sustainability journey?

Fiona Young: Don’t try and do it all at once. There is so much information out there it can be overwhelming.

Learn from others – in this space. We are all working towards a common goal, so partnerships and collaboration are key.

Establish some baselines so you can understand where your impacts will come from.

SEA: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Fiona Young: One of the most referenced takeaways from the recent Sport Positive Summit was around authenticity and credibility. Make sure your actions and strategies are robust and well thought out.

-ENDS-

If you have questions or would like to arrange an interview, please contact Anna Haines at communications@sportsenvironmentalliance.org