Don't 'Play' with the Earth.

The Sports and Games are not lagging in polluting  the earth to others. Many of  the  sports like mountaineering, ice skating, water surfing, ice-hockey, motor racing, and many more take a toll on the health of the environment.  The world has to come out with suitable solutions for the problems created by these sports events.
  

"Play for the Planet" Marks Global Launch of New Environment and Sports Initiative.  Sport and the environment are inextricably linked. Sporting venues, from football pitches to cricket fields, are often vital "green spaces" in cities and towns. They bring people closer to nature and, if properly managed, can act as urban refuges for birds, insects, plants and other wildlife. Meanwhile, pollution of rivers, the air and the land can have a detrimental impact on sport and athletes. The performance and the health of those taking part can be undermined by poor quality air, contaminated freshwater and coasts and chemicals used in parks and play areas. Sports can also affect the environment. The insensitive construction of sports stadia, courses and venues can affect water supplies, wildlife habitats, rates of soil erosion and local pollution. Some forms of sports, such as artificial ice-skating rinks and ice-hockey stadia, flood lit golf ranges and tennis courts, can be energy intensive triggering emissions of the gases linked with global warming. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), through its new Michezo initiative, aims to foster links between the environmental and sporting worlds in the quest for sustainable development. Klaus Toepfer, UNEP’s Executive Director, said: "Sustainable development is about economic development that respects people, that respects the planet, and delivers lasting prosperity for all. Everyone has their part to play, including sports men and women". “Indeed in many countries they have come together to form powerful groups that lobby for a cleaner and healthier environment. For example in Britain, Surfers Against Sewage, have played an effective key role in persuading government, local authorities and water companies to reduce coastal and marine pollution. The International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation in Switzerland have raised awareness of the threats from global warming and other environmental dangers to mountain ranges. In Canada, many ice hockey stadia, have been active is championing energy efficiency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.