To mark Earth Day this week, Arsenal and Islington Council have joined forces

Arsenal and Islington Council unite for Earth Day to help local people Go Zero.With last summer bringing blistering, record-breaking temperatures, it’s clear that urgent action is needed to address the climate emergency. That’s why Islington Council – as part of its ongoing efforts to create a greener borough – has partnered with Arsenal to make it easier for residents to save precious resources, reduce waste, and create a lower-carbon, circular economy.  Ahead of the Gunners’ men’s first-team match against Southampton on Friday (21 April) evening, supporters will have the opportunity to donate their old boots and trainers to local schools – helping to ensure that they find a new home, instead of going to waste. Arsenal also currently have boot and trainer collection points in place at Highbury House, at the Arsenal Hub, and at their London Colney training centre. On Earth Day itself (Saturday, 22 April), people across the borough are being invited to bring their sportswear and equipment – including footballs, cricket bats, tennis racquets and more – to be swapped or upcycled at the Arsenal Hub, in the shadow of the club’s world-famous Emirates Stadium.  A full rundown of the events – including bike repair workshops around the stadium – can be found on the IslingtonLife website. As well as Arsenal, a number of Islington’s other Anchor Institutions are supporting Earth Day initiatives, including City, University of London, Peabody Trust, and Whittington Health NHS Trust.  The events mark the start of the “Go Zero” campaign, where Islington Council and its partners will be promoting the ways that local people can lower their carbon footprint – such as insulating your home, cutting down on single-use plastic, and buying second-hand more often.  The Together Greener website provides tailored advice on the simple steps you can take to help save the planet, and you also can share the ways you’re helping to lower emissions by using the hashtag #IslingtonGoZero on social media.

 Cllr Rowena Champion, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Environment, Air Quality, and Transport said: “It’s so important that we all take steps to reduce our carbon footprint, especially as Islington is one of the six London boroughs most at risk to climate change.  “Making better use of what we have, instead of throwing things away, can help in our efforts to save the planet, while saving us all money.  “We’ve teamed up with Arsenal to help local people do that, so if you’re heading down to the Emirates on Friday, why not drop an unused pair of trainers or boots into the one of the collection bins, so that they can find a new home? Or, why not give a piece of sports equipment a new lease of life by bringing it down to the workshop this Saturday?”