Few fields of activity have the power to bridge social and cultural divides like sport does. For players and fans alike, sport fosters passion, bonding, and general positivity. In addition to being healthy for you, participating in sport can be inspiring, filling you with confidence in the idea that, working as a team, anything is possible. This mentality is key if we’re to successfully take on the global climate crisis, which is why we at Connect4Climate have long recognized the value of #Sport4Climate in spreading messages of sustainability and hope for a greener future.

Often, it takes an innovative newcomer to reshape an industry, and that’s just what our partners at Fireball Extreme Challenge (FXC) are looking to do for international sport. Built from the ground up on the values of inclusivity, camaraderie, nonviolence and sustainability, FXC aims to capture the best sport can offer and bring it to as wide an audience as possible.  Founded in 1994 by Max Bartoli and Roberto Ciccoli, FXC has blossomed from a training regimen into a full sport in its own right. From 2017 to the present, thousands of international athletes have formally registered to be a part of FXC, and four tournaments have been held in Italy and Mexico. Plans are in place to expand on the sport’s current reach across Europe and South America and push deeper into Asia and the Middle East as well. The accessibility of the game means people everywhere are eager to learn.

"We will participate in cleaning public places, in planting trees, and several other things, not only involving a sustainable lifestyle, but to support society." —Jaime Gotoo (filmed before COVID-19)

What exactly is FXC? At its core, it’s simple. All you need to play is two teams, a spherical ball, and a rectangular surface to play on. Tournament matches use a 22x14m court, but the beauty of FXC is that you can really play anywhere—a park, your backyard, wherever you like. This opens it up to people of all socioeconomic strata and geographical regions and minimizes its carbon footprint. The game’s core tenets are constant motion and teamwork: you must pass the ball to a teammate every 2 seconds to maintain possession for your team, so constant coordination is a necessity and showboating is off the table.

From its inception, FXC has prided itself on gender inclusivity. It is enshrined in the rules that all teams must be coed, and the nature of the game demands constant, respectful cooperation across gender lines. This sets it apart from essentially all existing professional athletics (save for niche events like mixed-doubles tennis or ice dancing) and promotes a culture of gender equality. Coed play coupled with an openness to players of all body types means FXC can be a unifying force for families and communities. Racial and cultural diversity are also encouraged. And FXC’s emphasis on movement and passing allows it to be completely nonviolent—a bit of accidental physical contact is fine, but deliberate aggression towards other players is not tolerated at any level.

"I invite my fellow athletes and the general public to join in these small efforts every day in order to have our home, our planet Earth, in optimal condition." —Ilse Denisse Zarate Cervantes

Beyond respecting people, FXC has taken care at every step to respect the planet. “There’s practically zero impact on the environment,” Bartoli explains. “You just need a ball.” And what little equipment there is was designed with sustainability in mind. All official FXC balls are made using recyclable plastics, and regulation courts are 95% recyclable in their materials. FXC is looking to expand its commitment to sustainability into the realm of sportswear as well.

FXC matches were put on hold amid the COVID-19 outbreak but recently resumed with a full suite of safety measures in place to protect both athletes and officials. Goggles, facemasks, and gloves are required on the court at all times. Referees and coaches wear full faceplates. Players entering and exiting the court must sanitize their hands, and the game ball is regularly disinfected as well. Regulation matches do not proceed unless each team has a medical professional supervising their operations. Across the board, FXC is taking COVID seriously and prioritizing the safety of all involved.

As we push beyond COVID and begin the process of sustainable recovery, Fireball Extreme Challenge offers a prime example of how sport can bring people together around issues like climate change, stoking their passion and impressing upon them the amazing power of all-inclusive teamwork in pursuit of a common goal. “We’re using sports to bridge conflicts in line with the UN’s strategy,” Bartoli says. “And we’re making it accessible to everybody.”

As humans, we are responsible for the earth we call home. You’ve no doubt heard about the issue of global warming, caused by increased atmospheric carbon dioxide. It has triggered a pattern of climate change that NASA explains is pretty clearly the result of human activity—so it’s going to take human activity to stop it.

“But I’m just one person.”

As with most large-scale efforts, every individual has a part to play in reversing the damage we’ve caused to our planet. And, considering even the most energy-conscious person in the United States emits more than twice the amount of carbon as people in other countries, every single action you take to reduce your environmental impact matters. Here’s the good news: You don’t have to change your entire lifestyle to lessen the damage you cause to the environment!

Small changes add up

There are many major home improvements—such as adding solar panels or a geothermal heat pump—that can slash your energy consumption. But these are expensive and impractical for most existing homes. If you’re like the vast majority of Americans, you’ll need to start small with upgrades that don’t require a complete overhaul of your home. As HomeAdvisor explains, proper insulation is one of the best ways to reduce heat transfer. Insulation comes in rolls or can be blown into an attic to keep your home’s temperature stable. Other minor energy-saving remodels include swapping your old appliances and electronics for Energy Star-certified versions and using recycled materials when possible.

There are also improvements you can make to your landscape that will have a positive impact on the environment. Planting native trees, flowers, and shrubbery is an excellent way to provide a habitat and food source for local wildlife. Further, adding trees to your landscape can help reduce CO2 levels and counter the effects of global warming. And Canopy.org asserts that a single tree delivers the same cooling power as 10 residential air-conditioning units operating almost around-the-clock.

A community effort

If you’re more of a team player, there are plenty of ways to take your cause and make it a community interest. Ideas include starting a community garden and launching a carpool. Not only does a community garden have a cleaning effect on the environment, it also provides members of your neighborhood the opportunity to enjoy fresh produce. This is important, as many seniors and low-income people don’t have regular access to healthy fruits and vegetables. If you live in the city, you can still create opportunities to grow food and plant trees—which has the added upside of providing an education on environmental topics to city dwellers (many of whom may have never seen a farm). Children especially benefit from knowing where their food comes from and how it’s grown. If a garden is out of the question, shop at your local farmers market and encourage others to do the same. Sourcing food locally cuts down on water consumption and vehicle emissions, since it isn’t traveling hundreds of miles to your table.

Carpooling is another means of having a positive impact, by reducing the number of personal vehicles on the road. You can start your own carpool by simply reaching out to people in your neighborhood or in the office where you work.

There is no wrong way to save the environment. Every change you make is a change for the better. Don’t ever feel that one person can’t make a difference because you can. Whether you choose to plant a single tree or crusade for Mother Earth, your actions truly do matter.

Banner image courtesy of Roy Buri, Pixabay. Thumbnail/article image courtesy of Pexels.

Twice a year every year, the trade fair known as MICAM Milano showcases the latest in high-fashion footwear, featuring more than 1,700 collections across a sprawling 60,000-square meter exhibition space. For this year’s winter edition, MICAM Milano was kind enough to invite Connect4Climate’s #YouthTakeover initiative and the X-Ray Fashion VR installation to the show to spread the vital message of sustainability in the fashion sector.

Created by MANND and directed by leading fashion photographer Francesco Carrozzini, X-Ray Fashion offers participants an immersive VR narrative on the inner workings of the “fast fashion” industry, laying bare its wastefulness and history of environmental damage as well as its alarming health impacts on textile workers worldwide. Co-produced by Connect4Climate and Vulcan Productions with support from Alcantara, X-Ray Fashion is an eye-opening call to action urging fashion houses to prioritize sustainability in design and consumers to be smart about their spending and support the planet with their purchasing power.

On February 16 and 17, MICAM Milano attendees were invited to experience X-Ray Fashion while a group of students from Milan’s prestigious IULM communications school conducted a #YouthTakeover across Connect4Climate’s social media channels, reporting out on the guests’ reactions to XRF and sustainable fashion as a whole as well as their own. This is the latest such takeover in an ongoing series spanning events including COP25, Innovate4Climate, and Asia-Pacifc Climate Week.

We at C4C congratulate the #YouthTakeover team from IULM on a job well done! We look forward to continuing to give youth leaders around the world a chance to flex their communication skills in the #ClimateAction-packed months to come.

Banner image courtesy of Dimitris Vetsikas, Pixabay. All other photos by the Connect4Climate Team.

Kids aren’t often given enough credit. Although people are quick to point out the youngest generation’s faults, many of them deeply care about big issues such as equality and water conservation.

And if they don’t currently seem to care, their viewpoints can be shaped by what we do as the adult influences in their lives. Here are 25 ways to encourage them to save water.

25 Ways to Help Children Save Water

1. Don’t underestimate them: They can handle hearing about scary topics such as water scarcity.
2. Make it a game: See who can take the fastest shower.
3. Show them other kids making a difference: Greta Thunberg might be a big inspiration to them.
4. Have them reuse towels: Reusing towels in your household might seem like a small act. But cutting down on one load of laundry a week can save 30 to 40 gallons of water.
5. Lead by example: Show them you care and they’ll likely follow suit.
6. Turn off the faucet when brushing teeth: That can save gallons of water over the course of a week, and it’s one of the most painless ways to conserve.
7. Ask them to notify you if they notice a way to improve: Open the lines of communication -- they might have some great ideas.
8. Teach them baths use more water than showers: You both can save the baths for special occasions. Opt for showers most of the time instead.
9. Report leaks and drips as soon as possible: That will allow you to repair them in a timely fashion. Your child may want to watch you repair the leak too, so they can learn a new skill.
10. Have them be responsible for keeping a pitcher of water in the refrigerator at all times: That pitcher of water will always be cold, cutting down on the time you run the sink waiting for a cold glass of water.
11. Teach them to scrape rather than rinse dishes: There is no need to rinse the dishes before placing them in the dishwasher.
12. Teach them to recycle: Recycling saves a lot of water usage. Make it a high priority for your children.
13. Buy them a reusable water bottle: Remind them that every time they carry this with them instead of using a disposable water bottle, they are saving water. Plastic production takes a lot of water.
14. Ask them to be a good example for their younger sibling: Kids want to be someone to look up to. And if they know little eyes are watching them, they’ll double up on their efforts.
15. Have them save energy too: Kids don’t always make the link between saving energy and water. Teach them to shut off the lights and television when they aren’t in use.
16. Show them some YouTube videos about conservation: Kids are drawn to the screen and sometimes those lessons sink in better than the ones we try to teach them.
17. Tell them they don’t always have to flush: It doesn’t hurt anything to not flush your toilet after a child pees in it. Teach them if it’s brown flush it down, if it’s yellow, let it mellow.
18. Have them draw a picture about water conservation: It might be of sad animals looking for water, or of a dry planet. Once they draw the picture, hang it somewhere you’ll all see it. It will become a source of motivation.
19. Take them to a lake: A place of beauty will often make children understand why they need to conserve water. Never underestimate the power of a pretty place. Remind them that saving water will protect that spot for future families to enjoy.                                                                                                                                                                                
20. Read a book: A book about the importance of water will help drive home why this issue is vital. A great pick is The Water Princess.
21. Let your child skip some showers: Unless your child is hardcore into playing outdoors or playing sports and they are always sweating, they don’t need a daily bath. Every other day is just fine.
22. Have a water cup designated for all-day use: Kids are notorious for taking one sip of water and then getting a new cup out next time they are thirsty. Have them use one cup all day for their water breaks.
23. Train them to use old water for indoor plants: They can use water leftover from cups around the house to water plants instead of dumping them down the drain.
24. Grow a vegetable garden: That cuts down on water usage for packaging and transporting vegetables to grocery stores. It’s a fun way to conserve water and teach children.
25. Try to lower the water meter usage: This is a tangible way to show your efforts are paying off. Let your children see how much water you’ve saved month to month. Use those monetary savings to do a fun family activity together as a reward.

Don’t Forget: A Little Adds Up

Remember to teach your child that no amount of water saved is insignificant. It can all add up to big savings over time. Together, your family can make a huge difference.

About the Author

Sylvia Jones is a freelance writer and mother of two from Indiana, USA. Sylvia is passionate about water conservation, the environment, and lowering her carbon footprint.

Preview thumbnail courtesy of tookapic (Pixabay). Banner image courtesy of Katja Just (Pixabay). Body images courtesy of, respectively, Alina Kuptsova and jplenio (Pixabay).

The Creative Industries Pact for Sustainable Action was launched by the Green Spark Group in December 2019 at COP25 as a means of uniting organizations working in film, TV and beyond in a pledge to take action on a set of common climate goals. Already, more than 70 signatories—including public organizations, corporations, film schools, film commissions and more—have come on board, committing to reduce their environmental footprint in line with the targets of the Paris Agreement and with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

“Connect4Climate is a signatory to the Pact,” says Giulia Braga, Connect4Climate program manager. “We are proud to see how the foundational work by many has evolved, and how organizations are seeing the value in committing to common goals. We all agree that action is needed to reduce our impacts, and there’s strength in saying this and taking action collectively.”

Responding directly to the dire findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Pact asks that its endorsees work collaboratively within and across their various industries to keep global warming well below 2°C. This means establishing useful sustainability metrics, educating and empowering employees, cutting back on fuel consumption and other unclean energy use, embracing low-carbon materials and foods, and advocating outwardly for sustainable policymaking. The organizations that have signed on must report out on their progress every other year beginning with 2020.

On February 7, our Film4Climate team had the honor of hosting a panel discussion in Brussels at the first-ever European Co-Production Forum. Titled “A Green Light for Green Production” and moderated by Connect4Climate Program Manager Giulia Braga, this discussion assessed recent strides in sustainable production across the film and television industries, suggested next steps on how to boost international collaboration around sustainability, and addressed the need to see sustainable lifestyles better represented onscreen in narratives as well as behind the scenes.

The goals of the Pact dovetail perfectly with Film4Climate’s own mission to usher sustainable living into both the making of films and the stories they tell. We at Connect4Climate are excited to carry forward the momentum from Brussels and spread the dual messages of the Pact and Film4Climate worldwide to steer the entertainment industry toward a sustainable future.

All photography by Kaia Rose of the Connect4Climate Team.

Connect4Climate has long embraced the value of the creative arts as a means of spreading the messages of climate action and sustainability. Film4Climate, C4C’s initiative aimed at “greening the silver screen,” has found success supporting both climate-positive messaging in onscreen narratives and climate-positive practice in production cycles behind the scenes. On February 7, Film4Climate is proud to be hosting a panel at the first-ever European Co-Production Forum assessing the state of sustainable film production in Europe and laying out goals for the near future.

Film4Climate’s mission is embodied in the initiative’s International Charter, a document painstakingly compiled between 2013 and 2018 with inputs from film festivals, film commissions, producers, advocacy groups (such as EcoProd, PGA Green, Green Film Shooting, and Cine-Regio) and various cross-sections of the film industry. In 2019, Film4Climate’s mandate was bolstered when Connect4Climate partner Green Spark, led by Zena Harris out of Vancouver, launched the Creative Industries Pact for Sustainable Action, exhorting those in the creative industries to commit to furthering the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and to keeping net global temperature change below 2°C vis-à-vis pre-Industrial levels. The Pact’s many signatories include major universities and the World Economic Forum.

For the past several years, Film4Climate has been hard at work putting the principles behind the Charter and Pact into action, championing climate-positive films such as Slater Jewell-Kemker’s Youth Unstoppable and Jared P. Scott’s The Great Green Wall (starring beloved Malian singer Inna Modja) and hosting sustainability-minded contests like the Action4Climate film competition of 2014, the Global Video Competition of 2016, the #Uniting4Climate VR Pitch Competition in 2017, and Film4Climate’s annual Post-Production Award competition in partnership with Laser Film.

The Film4Climate team’s deep experience working with members of the industry on green production earned C4C an invitation to this year’s European Co-Production Forum, a first-of-its-kind event that will convene key players from all across the European film and TV sectors in Brussels for an open discussion of what values the production industry should embrace moving forward and how its members can work together to realize those ideals.

Film4Climate’s panel, titled A Green Light for Green Production and moderated by C4C Program Manager Giulia Braga, will play a vital role in framing the overarching conversation and driving further adoption of sustainable practices throughout the industry. Made up of Cine-Regio’s Charlotte Appelgren, the European Film Academy’s Mike Downey, Make Waves Productions’ Sarah Macdonald, and Creative Europe Media’s Lucía Recalde, the panel will discuss the recent progress of sustainable filmmaking in Europe and brainstorm strategies to scale up international collaboration and increase support for climate-related content in film moving forward.

Thumbnail, banner, and body images courtesy of Pixabay users Joaquin Aranoa, Dimitri Svetsikas and Erika Wittlieb, respectively.