October 6

#greenSportsDay

#JOURNÉESPORTSVERTS

Join us for Green Sports Day, a national celebration where sports and sustainability come together.

Across Canada, athletes, organizations, and communities are taking action to make sports greener and inspire change.
Get ready to be inspired, informed, and part of a growing movement for a sustainable future in sport. Let’s make this Green Sports Day one to remember!

Upcoming events

  • Montreal Breakfast Event

    OCTOBER 6
    8:30-10:30 AM EASTERN TIME

    Networking lunch on sports and the environment, bringing together Quebec sports leaders to discuss sustainable solutions.

    In celebration of Green Sports Day in Canada, we are pleased to invite you to our second luncheon conference, exclusively for key players in Quebec sports, focusing on the central theme: Sports and the Environment.

    This event will bring together provincial federations, representatives from professional teams, universities, and committed stakeholders from Quebec’s sports ecosystem.

    Reserve your spot now!

  • Sports for Social Impact Podcast

    Special Episode to be released October 6th

    Sports for Social Impact is a platform to foster discussion, share best practices and learn from those working in the sport for development and peace sector.

    Through podcasts and articles we explore the intersection of sport and society and the impact that sport can have on our communities. They have discussions with the professional sport industry, sport governing bodies, sport administrators, coaches, athletes, policy makers and more to explore this topic.

    Tune in to the episode on October 6!

  • Sport Positive Summit

    OCTOBER 6-7

    The largest global gathering of sports organizations committed to sustainability returns for its sixth edition. Over two days, 75+ speakers from more than 35 countries lead plenaries, panels, roundtables and hands-on problem-solving sessions on climate, biodiversity and environmental justice in sport. Attend in person or online: every session is live-streamed and available on replay afterward. The Summit also hosts the annual signatory meeting of the UNFCCC Sports for Climate Action Framework.


    A must-attend for anyone interested in sport and sustainability!

    View details and register now!

Building on Past Years’ Success

The highly successful 2024 Summit provided practical and actionable insights for sports organizations, athletes, and fans to start their journey toward a sustainable future.

VISION

The vision of GREEN SPORTS DAY is to create a sustainable future through sports, inspiring change through education, collaboration, and innovation.

We encourage everyone to participate in this important conversation to spark action through the power of sport!

OUR GOALS

1

accelerate a conversation

To accelerate a conversation on sustainable sport and climate action.

2

educate the Canadian sports community

To educate the Canadian sports community on best-practices for sustainable sport.

3

celebrate the work

To celebrate the work being done to “green” the sports sector in Canada.

the Green sports film Showcase

Click the links below to watch these wonderful short films (FREE) to celebrate Green Sports Day last year.

OUR ATHLETES

  • “I spent 17 years competing internationally, flying around the world, contributing more than my fair share of carbon emissions and waste. Looking back I see ways I could have done it differently, more sustainably. Like in all the good sports stories, I see all of us mounting an inspirational climate comeback. I'm excited to be part of it.”

    — Oluseyi Smith, Founder of Racing to Zero and 2x Olympian in Bobsleigh

  • “As a beach volleyball player, I was really starting to feel the effects of global warming and climate change. The thing that really helped me handle my climate anxiety, was learning and taking climate action; and owning the fact that I’m not perfect in this journey but I’m trying. It made me feel more impactful and not alone. We as athletes & the sporting community are directly impacted and we have influence when it comes to using our voices for climate action. It’s our responsibility to do our part & mitigate some of the effects. Let's lift each other up in this fight together. We are powerful united.”

    —Melissa Humana-Paredes, 2x Olympian in Beach Volleyball

  • “Seeing the landscapes changing in front of my eyes over 10+ years of traveling and skiing some of the most beautiful mountains and glaciers around the world, I've realized our playgrounds are changing radically and WE need to be at the forefront of the protection efforts. We need to unite in this conversation around sustainability and climate action.”

    — Philippe Marquis, Coach in Moguls, 2x Olympian in Freestyle Ski

  • “I've seen and experienced firsthand the power of sport. When we channel sport for good; incredible, world changes can happen. Coming together with the sporting community and taking action will help save our planet.”

    — Martha McCabe, Founder of Head-to-Head, Canada Games Alumni, 2x Olympian in Swimming

  • “Kayaking has taken me all over the world and allowed me to develop awareness of the environmental issues we face today. Paddling on beautiful bodies of waters or in other instances, very polluted ones, has motivated me to get involved and be part of the solution.”

    — Emilie Fournel, Project Manager Athlete Marketing & Olympic Legacy, Canada Games Alumni and 3x Olympian in Canoe/Kayak

  • “Competing at major tournaments all around the world has opened my eyes to the amount of waste generated and emissions created from hosting these events. I have also seen what can be done to reduce this, which has inspired me to help make all sports more sustainable and be a part of the fight against climate change.”

    — Oliver Scholfield, Executive Director of Racing to Zero, Olympian in Men’s Field Hockey

  • "As a freestyle skier, the mountains are my workspace. With rising temperatures, reduced snow coverage, and more and more difficult conditions, I’ve felt not just a need, but a responsibility to use my voice about climate change. Climate action has reshaped my perspective. I believe sport isn’t just about performance, it’s a powerful force to drive change."

    — Marion Thénault, Olympian in Freestyle Skiing

ABOUT US

In the Fall of 2020, an Open Letter addressed to Minister Steven Guilbeault and Parliamentary Secretary Adan van Koeverden was signed by more than 125 sportspeople from across the country, asking them to recognize the potential of sport as a force for good, and to normalize green sports in this country by helping us to get recognition for a national Green Sports Day.

Since then, a committee of dedicated sports professionals, academics, and athletes has convened to bring the annual Green Sports Day Canada campaign to life. The committee members are (in alphabetical order):

  • Colin Campbell, Associate Director of Partnerships, Climate Positive Energy, University of Toronto

  • Emilie Fournel, Project Manager Athlete Marketing and Olympic Legacy, Canadian Olympic Committee, 3x Olympian in Canoe/Kayak

  • James Guilbaud, Founder of Sport Plus Eco

  • Melissa Humana-Paredes, Olympian in Beach Volleyball

  • Philippe Marquis, Coach at Freestyle Canada, 2x Olympian in Freestyle Ski

  • Martha McCabe, Founder of Head-to-Head, 2x Olympian in Swimming

  • Dr. Maddy Orr, Founder of The Sport Ecology Group, Assistant Professor at University of Toronto

  • Gillian Orris, Project Manager, Green Sports Day Canada

  • Ryan Pelley, Program Manager, Sport for Development and Environmental Sustainability, Commonwealth Sport Canada

  • Oliver Scholfield, Operations Lead, Racing to Zero, Olympian in Men’s Field Hockey

  • Oluseyi Smith, Founder of Racing to Zero, 2x Olympian in Athletics and Bobsleigh

  • Marion Thénault, Olympian in Freestyle Skiing

  • David Thibodeau, Senior Program Advisor at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Canada Games Council Board Member, Founder, Sports for Social Impact

  • Catherine Villiard Gravel, Director, Sport Business and Sustainability, Canadian Olympic Committee

A CROSS-BORDER COLLABORATION

The Green Sports Alliance has been the driving force behind the Green Sports Day Initiative, which was first launched in 2016 and officially recognized by President Obama for its commitment to sustainability in sports. Since then, the initiative has expanded significantly.

The Green Sports Alliance is continuing to advance the Green Sports Day movement globally. We are proud to partner with the Green Sports Alliance to celebrate Green Sports Day to amplify the message for championing environmental responsibility and working towards a greener, more sustainable future for sports.

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