Football team's remarkable fines for players as they bid to fight climate change
An Essex Sunday league side claim to have become the first team in the world to issue TREE PLANTING fines to players in a bid to maintain discipline and help fight climate change.
Players for Athletic Club United, based in Basildon, are made to avoid committing offences, such as getting booked in games or turning up late, by the threat of tree planting fines. More than 500 having already been planted since the start of the season.
Players committing offences such as getting booked or turning up late now have to plant trees. The scheme is ran through Play It Green, who plant two trees for each one pound payment and also pass 10p to the Woodland Trust.
Daniel Gray, chairperson of AC United, said sustainability is one of the club's core values and praised Dean Barker, one of the club's longest-serving players, for embedding that into their culture. They said: "As a group, we recognise that football can be so much more than just a game. It can be a catalyst and a force for social good, for justice, and for helping to give something back to our communities and our planet that has given us so much.
"Whilst football is great personally for physical and mental health, we know it isn’t helping the planet. Every player, official, and fan travelling to a game or training session will be creating greenhouse gas emissions. We recognise we are creating a carbon footprint and impact on the environment so wanted to do something to rectify and repair that."
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AC United recently lost 14-0 and whilst it might have been a frustrating day on the pitch, it also resulted in 83 trees getting planted. Players across the squad have committed to the cause, including individual pledges for wins and clean sheets.
Gray added: "We like to play creative and fun football and these ideals are shaping our ideas in how we can plant as many trees as possible. For example, we have pledges from players that when we first keep a clean sheet, we’ll plant 400 trees to mark the occasion. This may take some time as we lost 14-0 and 9-1 in our opening games of the season but it will come.
" Climate change is the big issue of our time and it is important we take action to make a difference. To be able to tell our kids that we did our best while we had a chance."
Some of the fines faced by AC United players:
- Late to training/matchday (1 tree per minute)
- Losing your head (5 trees)
- Yellow/red cards (20 trees/30 trees)
- Missed penalty/giving away a penalty (5 trees)
- Last minute drop out (20 trees)
- Arguing with manager/captain (5 trees)
- Late subs payment (15 trees)
AC United was formed from a group of players who regularly played six-a-side football together during a ten-year period. They currently play in the Southend and Basildon Sunday Football League Division Three.
Chris Thair, CEO of Play it Green, said: "I believe fining players by getting them to plant trees is simply genius and will be adopted by other teams. We’re happy our platform makes it a quick and easy process for the club and the player.
"Our entire business model is based upon our 3-step solution to climate change. Reducing carbon footprints of people and businesses. Repairing the planet through reforestation and finally giving funds to people and causes most in need. We take a rounded approach to make the best impact.
"When we designed the site we wanted to give members the opportunity to set up additional pages that would create more impact. Similar to a charity giving page but for the benefit of both the planet and society. Members have set up extra pages for events, rewarding customers, in memory of a loved one but never as a captain's fines page.
"I love the fun impactful innovation this has brought to sport and congratulations to AC United for being the first in the world to think of it."
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