0 likes | 20 Views
This topical talk delves into various aspects of sustainability in sports, covering topics such as the financial costs of mega sporting events, the impact of sports on mental and physical health, national sports pride, carbon emissions from sports events, environmental concerns related to sports equipment, water usage in sports facilities, and the call for increased sustainability in the sports industry. Thought-provoking questions and statistics provide insights into the sustainability challenges faced by the world of sports.
E N D
This resource is part of a Topical Talk Headline, produced by The Economist Educational Foundation. Please find the original version of the resource here: https://talk.economistfoundation.org/resou rces/sustainability-and-sports/
Question 1 On a professional level, sports can involve a lot of money. How much was Qatar reported to have spent on The World Cup when it hosted the event in 2022? Choose the correct answer: a) Under $75 billion b) $150 billion c) Up to $300 billion
Answer Up to $300 billion – it was the most expensive tournament in World Cup history. Give yourself a point if you got it right! Thinking questions: is it right to spend so much money on a sports event? Why or why not?
Question 2 “Taking part in sports is medically proven to improve your mental health.” Is this statement… Choose the correct answer: a) Real news b) Fake news c) Nobody is sure yet
Answer It’s real news! Medical experts have proved that physical activity helps to reduce anxiety and depression. Give yourself a point if you got it right! Thinking questions: what stops people from participating in sports?
Question 3 Sport brings people together – and many countries have their own national sport that people take great pride in. Which of the following statements is true? Choose the correct answer: a) The national sport of Bulgaria is weightlifting b) The national sport of France is rugby c) The national sport of New Zealand is waterpolo
Answer The national sport of Bulgaria is weightlifting! In France it’s football and in New Zealand it’s rugby union. Give yourself a point if you got it right! Thinking questions: does your country have a national sport? Why does sport bring people together?
Question 4 Sports can generate a lot of carbon emissions, which cause climate change. During sports events, what percentage of carbon emissions comes from the travel and accommodation of fans? Choose the correct answer: a) 56% b) 85% c) 98%
Answer 85% of carbon emissions from sports events comes from the travel and accommodation of fans. Give yourself a point if you got it right! Thinking question: how else might sports cause carbon emissions?
Question 5 Sports improve people’s physical health. According to the World Health Organisation, what percentage of the world’s teenagers are not physically active enough. Choose the correct answer: a) Under 50% b) 65% c) More than 80%
Answer More than 80% of the world’s teenagers are not physically active enough. Give yourself a point if you got it right! Thinking questions: what problems could this lead to? If more people did sport, what impact could that have on the world?
Question 6 The production of sports equipment, such as footballs, can create waste and carbon emissions that damage the planet. How many footballs are estimated to be made every year? Choose the correct answer: a) 400,000 b) 4 million c) 40 million
Answer 40 million footballs. Give yourself a point if you got it right! Thinking questions: what other sports equipment might harm the environment, either because of what it is made of or because of how it is made?
Question 7 Creating green spaces for sports to be played uses a lot of water. In Utah, America, golf is popular. How much water does the state use on golf courses each day? Choose the correct answer: a) 38,000 gallons b) 3.8 million gallons c) 38 million gallons
Answer Utah uses 38 million gallons of water each day to keep its golf courses green. Give yourself a point if you got it right! Thinking question: how might people from around the world react to this differently?
Question 8 Around the world, billions of people are passionate about sports – either because they participate in a sport or support a team or athlete. How many people in the room right now support a specific team or athlete? The closest guess wins!
Answer Close your eyes. Raise your hand if you support a specific sports team or athlete. Open your eyes and count. The closest guess or guesses get a point. Thinking questions: who do you support? Why do you support them? Could anyone ever convince you not to? Why or why not?
Question 9 Sports lead to lots of injuries and accidents every year. In 2021, which of the following sports logged the most accidents for people aged 15-24 in the US? Choose the correct answer: a) Basketball b) American football c) Martial arts
Answer Basketball! According to the National Safety Council, 127,219 injuries were linked to people playing basketball, 92,802 were linked to American football and 6,558 were linked to martial arts. The closest guess or guesses get a point. Thinking questions: are some sports too dangerous to be sustainable? Should they be banned? Why or why not?
Question 10 Sustainability in sport is a big discussion in the news. Many sports leaders and athletes are calling for their sports to become more sustainable. Which sports person recently revealed that climate-crisis fears influenced them to retire from their sport. Choose the correct answer: a) Cristiano Ronaldo – Football b) Sebastian Vettel – Formula 1 c) LeBron James – Basketball
Answer Sebastian Vettel. He said: “Obviously, travelling the world, racing cars and burning resources, literally, are things that I cannot look away from… Once I think you see these things and you are aware, I don’t think you can really unsee it. When it comes to the climate crisis, there is no way that any sport or business can avoid it, because it impacts all of us. Maybe it’ll be pushed back or be more quiet, but it’s only a matter of time – that we don’t have.”
That’s the end of the quiz! Count up your final scores to reveal the winners…
How sustainable is your sport? What would make your sport more sustainable? How is the environment affected? For example, what carbon emissions are produced? Or how is the environment used? How are people affected? For example, how might big events affect local communities? Or can everyone be involved with the sport? What financial costs are there? For example, how much money is spent on events? Or can everyone afford to join in? Discuss the blank sections in this grid to help plan your presentation. Sustainability of athletes and participants Sustainability of fans of this sport