Last year, Seattle Sounders FC became the first carbon neutral professional soccer organization in North America.
Certain aspects of operating a professional soccer club, like team travel and scouting, make it impossible to truly eliminate all carbon emissions. Partnering with Seattle-based Sustainable Business Consulting, the club has calculated its annual greenhouse gas emissions. In order to return to neutrality, Sounders FC is offsetting all requisite emissions through the Evergreen Carbon Capture program of Forterra, a nonprofit that works for regional sustainability.
On February 23, the club will work alongside the City of Tukwila, Forterra and its partner DIRT Corps to plant trees along the banks of the Green-Duwamish River, near the club’s training facility, Starfire Sports, in Tukwila.