The carbon footprint equivalent to the use of 500 private vehicles over the course of a year was avoided during Real Betis’ ‘Match for Sustainability’, as fans were encouraged to travel to the stadium via public or active transport.

A 1-0 victory over Athletic Club de Bilbao in mid-March was the scene for a matchday devoted to climate action, with fans ditching their cars and taking to foot, bus, bicycle and electric scooter. As a result, 911 tonnes of CO2e were avoided.

Using the Ciclogreen app, which promotes sustainable mobility, fans logged more than 1,000 kilometres of journeys made to the Estadio Benito VillamarÍn via means other than car. Those walking made up 43% of those journeys, while bus, bicycle and e-scooters accounted for 20%, 13% and 4.35% respectively.

To support fans with sustainable transport choices, they were offered codes for Acciona electric motorcycles (more than 2,000 were downloaded), Lime electric bikes (more than 100) and Voi scooters (more than 120). Scooter and bicycle parking was also made available outside of the stadium.

On the pitch, the players contributed to the special day by wearing a kit produced in Spain with 100% recycled polyester and, together with their Athletic Club counterparts, avoided single-use plastic bottles by drinking from reusable units.

Once in the stadium, fans were able to return sunflower seed shells (already served in biodegradable cardboard) so that they could be used as fertiliser for the pitch. 

Decorating the steps of the Estadio Benito VillamarÍn were 100 messages of advice to look after the planet. And while fans were enjoying Cruzcampo beer brewed through solar power, they were also able to take a closer look at hybrid options showcased by Betis’ Official Car Supplier, Volvo. Forever Green sneakers, produced with recycled materials and by people with disabilities, were also presented.

In the week leading up to the match, fans were encouraged to take care of Seville’s green spaces via a social media campaign.

Altogether, the carbon footprint of the match equalled 3,373.75 tonnes of CO2e, with 91% coming from fan travel. Ecoterrae, the firm measuring the footprint, estimates that the public transport campaign saved 911 tonnes of CO2e, which also equates to the energy use of 70 homes over a year. 

Fans who used the promotional code FOREVERGREEN when purchasing their ticket automatically sent €1 towards a reforestation project, with 500 trees planted in Andalusia for every €1 generated.

Learn more about the Forever Green platform through its website and Real Betis Foundation social media channels: Instagram and Twitter.