https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59122442
Making green gains off the field can be "more important" than signing top players, Hibernian's financial director has told Scottish football clubs.
As the COP26 climate summit launched in Glasgow, Chris Gaunt revealed he wants to ensure the Edinburgh club is the greenest in the country.
Solar panels, electric charge points and a vegan kiosk are being developed.
"If we can inspire other clubs to do the same, that would be ideal for us," Gaunt says.
"From a fan basis, they would much rather see us sign a huge player than see a press release saying we have invested solar panels on the roof. Equally, I would say it is is probably as important, if not more important, to invest in sustainability than to invest in a two or three-year player."
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Gaunt admits "there is a balance there" and it might be difficult for some clubs to buy into the sustainability model considering they have just endured a year-and-a-half of the Covid-19 pandemic during, which limited income.
"There is a cost to this," he says. "In order to be more sustainable, you're going to have to invest in more greener options. For instance, LED lighting that you can do on the floodlights is a huge investment and the payback is going to be 20-25 years."
Indeed, Gaunt admits even his own Scottish Premiership club does not at present have the budget to appoint a specialist sustainability officer.
The Louisiana native is particularly "passionate" about the subject having "lived through Hurricane Katrina", other major storms and seen the reclaiming of that coastal area of the United States.
"We are about to celebrate our 150th anniversary and Hibs are on the coast of Leith and want to own that 'greenest club' and make sure that they are around for another 150 years," Gaunt says.
Gaunt explained Hibs, who were named the greenest club in Scotland in 2019, have this year signed a deal to put solar panels on the East Stand at Easter Road Stadium and at their training ground.
They already have electric car charging points at both sites and, with no other charging point close to Easter Road, have "a deal coming up" that will allow that to be used not only by Hibs employees but also the local community. Meanwhile, the new vegan kiosk will be opening shortly inside the stadium.
Results 1 to 30 of 39
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01-11-2021 07:19 PM #1
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Green gains as important as signings?
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01-11-2021 07:22 PM #2
Ah so we had a ***** transfer window so we could install solar panels...GORDON!!!
Seriously though, what the fans don’t want to hear after the way the transfer window went is this pish.
IMO of course
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01-11-2021 07:32 PM #3
Sounds like they are continuing to develop the clubs assets so that they are worth more when they come to sell it.
Obviously forked tongue financial director is spinning it another way.
FWIW I think it makes sense because it gets us ahead of the game for a change.
All clubs will eventually get forced into this stuff.
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01-11-2021 07:42 PM #4
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Good luck marketing next years seasons !
Sunshine on Leith ( stand )
💩
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01-11-2021 08:29 PM #5
If you look at the bigger picture, yes.
The problem is that fans focus on the first team, so this isn't what we want to hear, and it's certainly not the right time to hear it when we've lost our last four games.Mature, sensible signature required for responsible position. Good prospects for the right candidate. Apply within.
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01-11-2021 08:36 PM #6This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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01-11-2021 08:53 PM #7
I guess football clubs can't uniquely position themselves as a group of businesses who aren't going to feel the financial strains of being greener. Businesses will need to plow money and resources into looking at and changing the way they operate significantly over the next 10 years.
In theory, if all clubs do it to the same extent then the affect on the field should be minimal though as we'd all be equally impacted. That's up to the authorities to dictate.Mon the Hibs.
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01-11-2021 09:05 PM #8
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Without being daft but if you're putting solar panels on a stand it would be south or west?
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01-11-2021 09:11 PM #9
It's good to see this is something Hibs are considering. Of course actions speak louder than words but it's something everyone is going to have to face up within the decade. Hibs may as well position ourselves ahead of the curve.
PM Awards General Poster of The Year 2015, 2016, 2017. Probably robbed in other years
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01-11-2021 09:16 PM #11This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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01-11-2021 09:20 PM #12
The thing is, its ultimately worthless while like 20 companies produce like 40% of all emissions.
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01-11-2021 09:54 PM #13
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Going on about being green while promoting crypto / NFTs. No.
As came up in various other threads, if you just want to be a football club and maximise your income for players, no bother. If you want to stand up and preach about this or that, then everything the club does needs to line up with that or you just look like a hypocrite.
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01-11-2021 10:00 PM #14
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01-11-2021 10:03 PM #15
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What an odd thing for people to be critical of. Should we just not bother?
As for the NFT thing I’m sure they’ll have done more actual research on the impact of what we are doing specifically than those shouting about it on here.
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01-11-2021 10:38 PM #17This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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01-11-2021 10:48 PM #18This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
If we had announced something like this when we were playing well and at the top end of the league it would be much better received
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01-11-2021 10:52 PM #19
Few simple ideas…
The club could make sure folk don’t leave litter during games which blows into the local streets / community.
Get some secure bike storage at the stadium.
Use East Main to grow vegetables like Norwich do at their training ground - for players meals etc.
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01-11-2021 10:55 PM #20This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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01-11-2021 10:57 PM #21This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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01-11-2021 10:59 PM #22
Never mind solar panels at the training centre, have always joked that we should put a couple of wind turbines there. Been there with both my son’s and daughter’s football and it’s always really breezy.
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01-11-2021 11:52 PM #23madhatterLeft by mutual consent!
Obvious reason for why the club would come out with this now. At the very least it may get us some publicity, although Scottish media won't do us any favours as per.
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02-11-2021 12:03 AM #24This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
If the planet goes up in flames I’m blaming Nisbet.
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02-11-2021 12:13 AM #25This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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02-11-2021 07:38 AM #26
It’s more important than signings, more important than football actually.
It’s great that we are doing this as a club as it shows generations our commitment to change and hopefully leads others to and through that change.
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02-11-2021 07:56 AM #27
Climate change is a wider issue than our club, I'm happy hibs are doing positive things but it should not be at the expense of the first team.
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02-11-2021 08:01 AM #28
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But the pressure for change is going to build and build, although how long it will take China and Russia to make significant changes to their output of emissions is up in the smog.
Agree, the timing of this should have been better thought through. The announcement is massively insignificant in relation to COP26 and just smacks of points scoring. But the analogy with investment in players has a considerable negative impact on the support given our current bad run. Poor judgement.
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02-11-2021 08:09 AM #29This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Nearly said stroking his cat whilst he presses all the buttons but he's probably strangled the cat.
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"I did not need any persuasion to play for such a great club, the Hibs result is still one of the first I look for"
Sir Matt Busby
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02-11-2021 08:24 AM #30
Somebody should ask this question of Rangers.
I'd love to hear them discuss their 'green credentials'
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