One topic that The World We Made lacks is sports. How will sports be affected in the future as we strive to live more sustainably?
A major issue with sports in the future is travelling, especially by plane. Leagues and associations constantly try to increase their popularity, and have done this partly through offering better matchups, exciting twists to tournaments, and hosting games all over the world. Take basketball for example; the NBA has continued to showcase the league with games in United Kingdom, China, and Mexico. Furthermore, the NCAA recently had their season opener in Germany. These measures result in an increase in travel, which counters sustainable living.
NBA game in London, 2014. Link: http://www.nba.com/media/global/kg-london-140116-600.jpg
Sports might also see a shift to e-sports, where the impact on environmental sustainability is unclear. E-sports is online, meaning that it requires less travelling and construction of arenas. However, if e-sports experiences a spike in following, there might be demand for tournaments hosted at specific locations, which could contribute to climate change.
In conclusion, the environmental impact of sports today is significant. However, it is unclear whether there will be a positive change in this impact. As a big sports fan myself, I believe that sports are essential in the future for entertainment. Hopefully leagues and associations around the world will take environmental sustainability into consideration.
