Laura Timberlake
The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is going carbon neutral during its busiest time in September to offset the emissions from venue operations.
The stadium and surrounds consume about 1.65 million kWh of electricity during September, which is comparable to the monthly energy demand of 4,000 average Victorian homes.
EnergyAustralia will offset all the emissions from the MCG and Yarra Park precinct, including the emissions from transport of over 400,000 people to and from the precinct, and from food and beverage manufacture and preparation.
Melbourne Cricket Club CEO Stuart Fox says offsetting carbon emissions during the stadium’s busiest time of year was the equivalent of planting (and maintaining) 100,000 trees, or taking 50,000 cars off the road for the month.
“It’s exciting to know we can provide fans with a great experience while completely offsetting their impact on the environment,” he says.
To make the stadium precinct carbon neutral for September, EnergyAustralia will buy carbon credits from projects that offset greenhouse gas emissions, including a revegetation project in the Northern Territory and a clean-energy initiative in India.
The MCG already recycles 83 per cent of the waste generated at the stadium and has reduced annual carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent. Other recent initiatives to make the MCG more sustainable include purchasing a bulk food dehydrator to treat organic waste, increasing the use of recycled plastics and re-labelling bins to reduce contamination.
The MCG’s status as a carbon-neutral precinct for September is certified by the Australian government against the National Carbon Offset Standard (NCOS).
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