Our Initiatives/End Single-Use Plastic
Game On for a Plastic-Free Future: Play Green's War on single-use plastic in Games and the rugby community
Single-use plastics are a global environmental challenge, and the world of sports, with its intense hydration needs and massive events, is a significant contributor. At "Play Green," we're taking this issue head-on, championed by Kenya Shujaa 7s star Kevin "Yokooh" Wekesa, who recognized the immediate impact we could make, right from the training ground.
Game On for a Plastic-Free Future: Play Green's War on single-use plastic in Games and the rugby community
Single-use plastics are a global environmental challenge, and the world of sports, with its intense hydration needs and massive events, is a significant contributor. At "Play Green," we're taking this issue head-on, championed by Kenya Shujaa 7s star Kevin "Yokooh" Wekesa, who recognized the immediate impact we could make, right from the training ground.
From Small Bottles to Big Change: The National Team's Lead
Kevin's vision began with a simple yet powerful observation during national team training: the sheer volume of small 500ml plastic water bottles consumed daily. This led to a proactive solution: equip every player and staff member of both the Kenya Shujaa (men's) and Kenya Lionesses (women's) national teams with durable, reusable aluminum water bottles. The change was immediate and effective. Instead of countless individual plastic bottles, teams now rely on fewer, larger 20-liter refillable water containers at training sessions. This small shift makes a monumental difference
From Small Bottles to Big Change: The National Team's Lead
Kevin's vision began with a simple yet powerful observation during national team training: the sheer volume of small 500ml plastic water bottles consumed daily. This led to a proactive solution: equip every player and staff member of both the Kenya Shujaa (men's) and Kenya Lionesses (women's) national teams with durable, reusable aluminum water bottles. The change was immediate and effective. Instead of countless individual plastic bottles, teams now rely on fewer, larger 20-liter refillable water containers at training sessions. This small shift makes a monumental difference
Imagine the Impact: A Single Team's Transformation
Let's do the math for just one 30-person squad (players and support staff): Daily Consumption: A squad typically consumes around 5 liters of water per person during an intense training day. Plastic Bottles Saved Per Training Day: If each person used 500ml plastic bottles, that's 10 bottles per person (5L / 0.5L). For a 30-man squad, that's 300 single-use plastic bottles every single training day (30 people x 10 bottles). Weekly Savings (Training): Training approximately 4 times a week, one team alone eliminates 1,200 plastic bottles weekly (300 bottles/day x 4 days/week). Monthly Impact: Over a single month, this commitment prevents approximately 4,800 singleuse plastic bottles from entering our landfills and oceans! This powerful example demonstrates how a simple change, driven by leadership and awareness, can immediately solve a significant plastic crisis within a sports team
Imagine the Impact: A Single Team's Transformation
Let's do the math for just one 30-person squad (players and support staff): Daily Consumption: A squad typically consumes around 5 liters of water per person during an intense training day. Plastic Bottles Saved Per Training Day: If each person used 500ml plastic bottles, that's 10 bottles per person (5L / 0.5L). For a 30-man squad, that's 300 single-use plastic bottles every single training day (30 people x 10 bottles). Weekly Savings (Training): Training approximately 4 times a week, one team alone eliminates 1,200 plastic bottles weekly (300 bottles/day x 4 days/week). Monthly Impact: Over a single month, this commitment prevents approximately 4,800 singleuse plastic bottles from entering our landfills and oceans! This powerful example demonstrates how a simple change, driven by leadership and awareness, can immediately solve a significant plastic crisis within a sports team
Building a Greener Infrastructure: Water Stations of Tomorrow
Looking ahead, "Play Green" is committed to long-term systemic change. Our ambition is to collaborate with rugby facilities and training centers across Kenya to establish dedicated water refill stations. This infrastructure will not only support the reusable bottle initiative but also ensure easy, sustainable hydration for athletes at all levels, making single-use plastic bottles truly obsolete in these environments.
Building a Greener Infrastructure: Water Stations of Tomorrow
Looking ahead, "Play Green" is committed to long-term systemic change. Our ambition is to collaborate with rugby facilities and training centers across Kenya to establish dedicated water refill stations. This infrastructure will not only support the reusable bottle initiative but also ensure easy, sustainable hydration for athletes at all levels, making single-use plastic bottles truly obsolete in these environments.
Empowering the Fans: The "BYOB" Movement
The impact can't stop with the players. We're extending the challenge to the heart of the game: the fans! Through our "BYOB Bring Your Own Bottle" campaign, we encourage supporters attending matches and tournaments to carry and refill their reusable water bottles. Imagine the collective impact when thousands of fans choose to ditch disposables! This campaign is designed to: Reduce Stadium Waste: Drastically cut down on the plastic bottle waste generated at live games. Shift Mindsets: Educate fans on the ease and importance of sustainable hydration. Create a Ripple Effect: Inspire sustainable habits that extend beyond the stadium into daily life, making plastic-free living a norm for the entire rugby community and beyond.
Empowering the Fans: The "BYOB" Movement
The impact can't stop with the players. We're extending the challenge to the heart of the game: the fans! Through our "BYOB Bring Your Own Bottle" campaign, we encourage supporters attending matches and tournaments to carry and refill their reusable water bottles. Imagine the collective impact when thousands of fans choose to ditch disposables! This campaign is designed to: Reduce Stadium Waste: Drastically cut down on the plastic bottle waste generated at live games. Shift Mindsets: Educate fans on the ease and importance of sustainable hydration. Create a Ripple Effect: Inspire sustainable habits that extend beyond the stadium into daily life, making plastic-free living a norm for the entire rugby community and beyond.
Squeeze Bottles: Greening Grassroots Rugby
The "Play Green" ethos also extends to the practicalities of the game. By promoting the widespread adoption of reusable squeeze bottles for training and match hydration across all Kenya rugby clubs and communities, we are further eliminating the need for those ubiquitous 500ml plastic bottles at every level. This ensures that environmental responsibility is ingrained from junior leagues to professional play. Through these concerted efforts, led by Kevin Wekesa's dedication and the collective power of the rugby community, "Play Green" is actively dismantling the reign of single-use plastics, creating a lasting legacy of sustainability for generations to come.
Squeeze Bottles: Greening Grassroots Rugby
The "Play Green" ethos also extends to the practicalities of the game. By promoting the widespread adoption of reusable squeeze bottles for training and match hydration across all Kenya rugby clubs and communities, we are further eliminating the need for those ubiquitous 500ml plastic bottles at every level. This ensures that environmental responsibility is ingrained from junior leagues to professional play. Through these concerted efforts, led by Kevin Wekesa's dedication and the collective power of the rugby community, "Play Green" is actively dismantling the reign of single-use plastics, creating a lasting legacy of sustainability for generations to come.