On Earth Day 2021, the MCC has teamed up with the Sports Environment Alliance, who have released their latest case study on providing the insight into how the MCG is being a leader in environmental sustainability.
A foundation Sports Environment Alliance Member and a signatory to the United Nations Sports for Climate Action Initiative, the MCC’s management of the MCG ensures the venue retains its status as one of Australia’s most popular and iconic sporting grounds.
And while it’s been host to some of Australia’s greatest sporting events, on the sustainability front however, the mentality is not about competition, but rather about playing for the same team.
Peter Wearne, MCC General Manager – Facilities, said this journey has focused on the MCG being perceived as more than just a sporting venue.
“It is a venue that can operate with environmental consciousness and have a positive effect on the community,” Wearne said.
Recycling and materials use is just one example of the MCG’s commitment to environmental sustainability. By focusing on reducing waste to landfill, the MCG has increased the amount of recycled waste from 61 percent in 2013 to 78 percent in 2019, while reducing their organic waste by 80 percent.
The MCC has been previously recognised for its achievements in sustainability, receiving an ‘Innovator of the Year’ award from the Green Sports Alliance in 2018.
The global Green Sports Alliance awards recognise and applaud the best in sports and sustainability, and those leading the sports greening movement. The MCC, stadium manager of the MCG, has invested heavily in recycling and waste management systems at the iconic sporting stadium.
In 2018 the MCG became the first sporting venue to close the loop on organics recycling, with waste produced at the stadium treated in-house via an organics dehydrator.
Comprised largely of food and turf materials, the waste is repurposed into a soil-additive that is being used to sustain the heritage-listed Yarra Park which surrounds the stadium, as well as being donated to local community gardens and charitable groups.
And, while the club has enjoyed considerable success with recent projects, it hasn’t rested on its laurels.
A new Sustainability Plan is currently in the works, which will be implemented alongside the new MCG Strategy and define its objectives for the next few years.
CLICK HERE to access the full case study and to learn more about how the Melbourne Cricket Club is ensuring the MCG is a leader in environmental sustainability.
This article was originally published as a case study by the Sports Environment Alliance (SEA). If you want to learn more about SEA, visit their website and follow them on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter , and Instagram.