Despite the fact that their trophy cabinet has been starving since 2005, Arsenal FC has stood out tall as the lead ambassador of a green environment in the football world. With their new jersey, entirely made out of recycled polyester, Arsenal’s influence is not just limited to the pitch, but also in insuring that the environment remains clean and healthy. Using crosscutting technology, NIKE, Arsenal’s kit makers used discarded plastic bottles diverted from landfills to be used in the manufacturing process; each shirt is crafted from up to 8 plastic bottles. The new shirt is 13 percent lighter than previous kits, it helps to quickly evaporate moisture by drawing it through the fabric to the surface, to keep players dry. This simply implies that everybody in every field or profession has the opportunity to protect and conserve the environment, by going green. Given that the earth’s most precious resources are getting depleted, Arsenal’s initiative proves that there is always a window of opportunity for corporate firms, organizations and individuals to go green by recycling waste products as they lend a hand in this war against pollution and environmental degradation. During the previous FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the Netherlands and Brazil teams also wore shirts made out of recycled material. Although Spain won the trophy, in the eyes of an environmentalist, those two countries offered more to the world from their example. After Arsenal had unveiled its new eco friendly kit, other big clubs followed suit and ensured that they were not left behind. Manchester United and Barcelona followed with the idea and other football and NBA clubs are catching up. For the dear Arsenal fans, even though the club might not be delivering on the pitch of late, Arsenal is making major strides to sure that the air we breathe is clean and that the earth remains as natural as possible. mugishaivan@yahoo.com
