MLS WORKS, Major League Soccer’s social responsibility platform, today kicked off its 6th Annual Greener Goals Week of Service which highlights the League’s commitment to environmental sustainability, including efforts around waste reduction. Earth Day matches on April 22-23 will raise awareness surrounding sustainability and highlight how our MLS soccer community is addressing environmental impact.
As part of Greener Goals Week of Service, MLS and its clubs will join forces with adidas to promote ocean plastic waste recovery. In partnership with nonprofit Parley for the Oceans, MLS and adidas are developing an immersive educational experience dedicated to the understanding of marine environments and the co-creation of plastic waste solutions called the Parley Ocean School. More details will be shared at a later date.
To underscore the League’s commitment to raising awareness about ocean plastic waste and eliminating CO2-emitting plastics production, MLS players will be sporting adidas One Planet jerseys during Earth Day weekend. The jerseys are made with Parley recycled ocean plastic and will be available at MLSstore.com starting April 18 at 11 a.m. ET.
Inter Miami is focused on continuing to harness the power of fútbol to do good. With a focus on sustainability, earlier this year, Inter Miami CF worked with new brand, (re)boot, to tackle the waste crisis by keeping worn sports gear in play. . On Tuesday, the Club will launch the 2023 adidas One Planet jersey with an eye-catching campaign to continue to raise awareness of plastic pollution. The Club will also team up with the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science; more details on this collaboration will be announced on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Inter Miami CF will announce their plans for the Club’s third annual Equipment Drive and sorting opportunities, this year’s edition in partnership with Florida Blue during the month of May.
MLS continues to explore opportunities to reduce non-renewable energy use, as well as measure and help to offset a portion of emissions associated with League and club travel including airfare, accommodations and ground transportation for the regular MLS season, Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, and Audi MLS Cup.
Throughout the season, MLS clubs are also partnering with local food organizations to distribute unused food following matches at their stadiums. Wit the intention of reducing waste and helping address food insecurity in their region, MLS venues will collectively divert more than 55 tons of food to local food donation programs while avoiding approximately 208 tons of greenhouse gas emissions, which is equivalent to approximately 330 cross continent air flights from San Jose to Montreal.
Throughout Greener Goals Week of Service, all 29 MLS clubs and the League office will volunteer their time by conducting environmentally friendly projects in partnership with local charitable organizations to positively impact local communities. MLS club-driven activations can be viewed here.
This announcement arrives during a period of tremendous momentum behind the sport of soccer in North America, as Major League Soccer’s 28th season is underway, the highly anticipated 2023 Leagues Cup will take place from July 21 to August 19, and as the 2026 World Cup hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico approaches.
The greening of our game will encourage MLS clubs, players, partners, and fans to give back to our communities and raise awareness for environmental responsibility. For more information on Greener Goals, including sustainability tips, MLS club efforts around Earth Day and the League’s efforts to help address its environmental impact, visit MLSsoccer.com/MLSWORKS or follow @MLSWORKS on social platforms.
