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    Crystal Palace star’s rubbish was fly tipped outside my flat – I was furious & reported him to club

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    A PREMIER League star’s domestic rubbish was dumped illegally outside an apartment block.Furious residents contacted Crystal Palace to report Jefferson Lerma for fly-tipping.Crystal Palace’s Jefferson Lerma has been reported for fly-tippingCredit: GettyThe garbage included broken toys, full carrier bags and dozens of opened parcels and boxes bearing Lerma’s addressThe club investigated and discovered that the Colombian midfielder, 30, had paid for a “legitimate waste disposal service” to dispose of the trash “in good faith”.The rubbish was strewn across the front of garages behind flats in Streatham, South London — nine miles from Lerma’s home.Grainy CCTV images show men arriving in cars with fake number plates to dump the trash.The garbage included broken toys, full carrier bags and dozens of opened parcels and boxes bearing Lerma’s address.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSRecent windy weather spread the rubbish further.Heidi Vella, who lives in the flats, said: “Fly-tipping is illegal and a social blight and so it was a real shock to the residents here to see a Premier League footballer’s rubbish dumped on our property.“A quick look showed it was Jefferson Lerma’s domestic rubbish. Now we want to pursue the ‘man with a van’ so he is dealt with by law.”Lerma signed for Bournemouth for £25million in 2018 and joined Palace on a free transfer last year.Most read in FootballThe club said: “When this matter was drawn to our attention, we immediately arranged for the rubbish to be collected and disposed of correctly.“We apologise for any inconvenience.”Bournemouth target Jefferson Lerma is an absolute beast of a defensive midfielderHeidi Vella, who lives in the flats, said: ‘Fly-tipping is illegal and a social blight and so it was a real shock to the residents here to see a Premier League footballer’s rubbish dumped on our property’Credit: Louis Wood More

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      National League club to build history-making 5,000-seater stadium made almost totally of WOOD as council approves plan

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      FIFA already call them the “greenest team in the world”.Now they have got the go-ahead to make history with the ultimate “environmentally friendly” development.The club have got the all-clear to build Eco ParkCredit: Forest Green/SDCThe stadium will be on a site landscaped by 500 treesCredit: Forest Green/SDCCouncil planners have approved Eco Park – a unique new 5,000-seat stadium made almost entirely of wood.And it comes from a National League side who are bidding for an instant return to the EFL.The venue will be in landscaped parkland, with space for 1,700 cars.And along with two extra football pitches, around 500 trees and 1.8km of hedgerows will be planted – to promote biodiversity.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLMany fans will have quickly guessed the identity of the club – thanks to its high-profile owner and the innovations he has brought in.Fifa dished out its “greenest team” accolade after the club began wearing kits made of recycled plastic and coffee grounds.Football’s world rulers also pointed to the team’s vegan-only menu.Meanwhile, shinpads and some kits have been made from bamboo.Most read in EFLFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSThe United Nations chipped in with a huge compliment too – describing the whole set-up as the world’s first carbon-neutral football club.Green energy businessman Dale Vince has been the man with the vision and Forest Green Rovers has been his sporting outlet – since his take-over there 14 years ago.Britain’s greenest football club Forest Green Rovers create eco-friendly kit made from coffee beansRovers’ current ground, the New Lawn, will be replaced by 95 homes.That’s because Stroud Council have now approved the layout, scale and external look of a replacement stadium.Councillors heard the site will be extra resilient against extreme weather – as it will be built to tackle climate change and be energy efficient.Vince said the “ground-breaking” stadium will be “the first made almost entirely from wood which is beautiful, natural, durable and sustainable”.He added: “We’ve taken a step closer towards the world’s greenest sports complex and a fabulous facility for the local community.”Forest Green currently play at The New LawnCredit: RexRovers’ owner Dale Vince has turned the club greenCredit: Reuters More

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      Premier League stadium set for £4.35m makeover as ‘game changing’ project gets green light

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      WEST HAM’S London Stadium is set to go green as part of a major makeover project.A £4.35million revamp is about to take place that will lead to the installation of 6,500 square metres of solar membrane panels.West Ham’s London Stadium is set for a massive revampCredit: Getty – ContributorThe London Stadium is about to become one of the greenest venues in the worldCredit: GettyThe LLDC Solar Membrane Project has received funding from the £500m-worth Mayor of London’s Green Finance Fund.The Hammers’ ground is expected to save more than 200 tonnes of carbon emissions a year and generate enough to power all the venue’s major events.It is expected that in the period between 2022 and 2026 the stadium will have reduced energy drawn from the national grid by 3m kWh – from 11.5m kWh per year to 8.5m.To put it in perspective, the annual 850,000-kWh generated by the solar panels is equivalent to the power used for several major events each year.Read More on FootballThat is approximately 20 football matches, four concerts, two MLB games and one international athletics meet. The solar energy will also save more than 200 tonnes of carbon emissions a year, which is equivalent to 100 flights from London to New York.The installation at West Ham’s stadium is expected to be completed by the summer of 2025.The solar membrane panels will be installed on London Stadium’s roof. Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThat will mark the largest solar array on a Premier League ground, thus making the London Stadium one of the greenest venues in the world.Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy Mete Coban said: “These solar panels are a game changer for the London Stadium, turning it into one of the world’s greenest sports and concert venues and hugely reducing its energy use and running costs.Fuming West Ham fans stream out of London Stadium before HALF-TIME during Arsenal drubbing”The Mayor’s Green Finance Fund offers exciting opportunities to help public sector bodies lower their carbon footprint and become more sustainable, and I encourage organisations to get involved as the next round of funding opens and we continue to build a greener, fairer London for everyone.” More

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      England’s draw with Denmark was caused by eco idiots vandalising Stonehenge, claims The Sun’s druid

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      ENGLAND’S dreadful Euros draw was caused by eco idiots vandalising Stonehenge — which ruined the spell cast by The Sun’s druid, he insisted last night.Three Lions fan King Arthur Pendragon used sorcery to summon up the spirits of the ancients to fire up Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions.Just Stop Oil protesters sprayed Stonehenge’s sacred stones with orange powder on WednesdayCredit: PAThree Lions fan King Arthur Pendragon used sorcery to summon up the spirits of the ancients to fire up Gareth Southgate’s Three LionsCredit: Jon RowleyHarry Kane scored the opening goal in what ended as a draw for England against DenmarkCredit: GettyBut Just Stop Oil protesters sprayed at least three of the sacred stones with orange powder on Wednesday, hours before King Arthur directed the circle’s mystic power to Germany.The desecration of the 5,000-year-old monument led directly to the awful 1-1 draw with Denmark, he reckoned — and blew our chances of qualifying as winners of our Euro 2024 group on Thursday.White-bearded wise man King Arthur — who performed an ancient rite with his followers before kick-off — seethed yesterday: “The protestors disturbed the peaceful majesty of the sacred place.“They made it more difficult for our powerful thoughts to reach the England team. The orange powder not only defaces the stones but affected their mystic powers — it was heresy!”Read More on FootballEngland took the lead after 18 minutes with a goal from captain Harry Kane and were on their way to grabbing the 2-0 win which King Arthur had predicted.But stars including Jude Bellingham failed to shine and the Danes equalised minutes later — with England going on to struggle to hold on to the draw in Frankfurt.Aces including Phil Foden, Trent-Alexander Arnold and Declan Rice also appeared to wilt in one of England’s most woeful performances of Southgate’s reign.King Arthur, 69, added: “The crazy thing is that the protesters were acting against their natural allies as we pagans share concerns about the natural environment.Most read in Euro 2024“We’re livid, but we keep the faith and believe Gareth and the team can recover and win the Euros.“Once the stones have been cleaned I can re-cast the spell for the Slovenia game — this time without the eco-idiots spoiling it.”England fans’ must watch guide to Frankfurt ahead of Three Lions’ Euro 2024 clash vs DenmarkWiltshire Police arrested and bailed a man in his 70s and woman in her 20s on suspicion of criminal damage and damaging an ancient monument.The druid king — a former soldier — changed his name from John Timothy Rothwell 37 years ago.He was convinced he is a reincarnation of the mythical monarch and has been leading the solstice ­celebrations since the Eighties.Around 15,000 people greeted the sun with cheers, drumming and chanting as it rose over Stonehenge for the solstice on Thursday.England’s draw against Denmark was watched by more than 11 million people, up from 10.5 million for their first Euro 2024 match against Serbia. More

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      Dundee chief blames CLIMATE CHANGE for latest Rangers postponement

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      DUNDEE club secretary Eric Drysdale has pinned the blame on the Dens Park’s five postponements this season on climate change. There’s barely disguised fury around Scottish football after the Dens men’s fifth call off of the campaign plunged the end of the Premiership season into chaos. Eric Drysdale has revealed that rainfall in the area is massively upDens Park was ultimately deemed unplayableA third attempt at getting the match played will now take place on Wednesday April 17.But Hibs aren’t happy on ‘sporting integrity’ grounds as that’s after they and the rest of their top six rivals will have finished their pre-split fixtures. And Rangers aren’t happy either as it means they will have to go through the whole rigmarole again a week later, just days before they’re in Scottish Cup semi-final action. The SPFL have said that the Dens Park side are subject to an ongoing investigation but there’s been radio silence on that in the last few weeks.It’s all a mess – and while Dundee club secretary Eric Drysdale admits ‘urgent’ work on the pitch is needed, he also said the club had done all they could.He blamed it on a 35% increase in rainfall in the area as compared to the 10-year average – even though many pitches, including nearby Tannadice Park, are playable. He told SkySports: “I can understand people are annoyed at this and are looking at it as Dundee’s fault. “What I would say is that from the research we have done in the last few days this year’s rainfall is 35 per cent higher than the 10 year average – that shows the effects of climate change on it and it shows the work we have to do urgently on the Dens Park pitch.”Most read in FootballMeanwhile match referee Don Robertson admitted there was no chance of the match being played. The surface passed an 11am inspection but further heavy rainfall meant it failed a 3.30pm inspection and was never likely to proceed. Dens Park pitch revealed as Don Robertson prepares to conduct second pitch inspection at the ScotFoam stadiumHe said: “A second inspection was carried out with the agreement of the clubs and the league.“I had done an initial inspection at 11am and the pitch as playable at that point.“But obviously everyone is aware of the issues that Dundee have had with their pitch.“It’s not in great condition, but it was playable.“Everyone was aware of the forecast for heavy rain in the area in the afternoon and that’s why we agreed on a pitch inspection at 3.30pm, to see how the pitch looked once that rain came.“Once I arrived I have conducted the inspection and the pitch had deteriorated quite a lot in that time.“There was an area of concern in front of the bottom penalty area, which was wet this morning but playable.“They put the covers on but in the four hours since that first inspection there has been heavy rain and that area of the pitch has become sodden, waterlogged and therefore unsafe for the players.“And unfortunately the match has been postponed.“No-one would say the pitch was in great condition in the morning but it was playable and safe for the players to play.“The ball was bouncing and travelling through those areas.“But when I did the second inspection that wasn’t the case. READ MORE SUN STORIES“It is quite a significant area of the pitch – it’s not just a small corner – and once I determined that it was unsafe for the players – which is my concern here – then the match was postponed.”Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page More

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      I’m an EFL star but I have a degree and invested in firm selling boots made of kangaroo leather, carpet and castor beans

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      GEORGIE KELLY’S football boots are made partly from kangaroo leather.But it has not had a negative impact on the way he plays – and he can pouch for it!
      Georgie Kelly has a Masters degree in renewable energy and environmental scienceCredit: Rex
      He has also invested in start-up company SokitoCredit: Instagram @officialsokito
      The Rotherham striker is an investor in start-up company Sokito, whose handmade boots are also made from earth-friendly materials such as carpet, plastic bottles and castor beans.
      It is one of the ways boffin Kelly – who has a Masters degree in renewable energy and environmental science – is contributing to the planet.
      And he is also passionate about climate change.
      Kelly, 27, said: “Climate change is such a huge issue which needs to be addressed.
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      “But it isn’t really a topic I discuss with my team-mates – not that many of them would be interested.”
      Two years ago the EFL announced its Green Clubs scheme, which helps support teams to improve their environmental practices and operations.
      Irishman Kelly added: “It is definitely becoming a thing among all the professional clubs and you can see them getting on board with it.
      “The trouble for EFL clubs is the cost, such as wanting to do an energy audit at their stadium.
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      “I’d love our ground, for example, to have solar panels, but it is all about the money.
      “It is easier to invest in for clubs who have lots of it.”
      Premier League Tottenham are one example, having committed to halve their carbon emissions by 2030.
      And, earlier this year, Wycombe midfielder David Wheeler became the Professional Footballers Association’s first sustainability champion.
      Kelly was raised in County Donegal, where his grandfather was a farmer – and which gave him an understanding of the challenges for agriculture in his native Ireland.
      Last year the country’s government agreed on an emissions ceiling of 25 per cent for its agriculture sector, much to the ire of farmers.
      Kelly said: “There has been a backlash among the farmers I’ve spoken to.
      “The problem is that plans look easy on paper, but then there is investment in things such as wind farms and to deal with planning regulations, so it slows everything down.
      Sokito produce handmade boots from earth-friendly materialsCredit: Instagram @officialsokito
      Kelly plays for Championship side RotherhamCredit: Rex
      “The way forward is to help small high-tech companies and let them create what is needed.”
      Away from the fields and on the pitch, Kelly is enjoying life at Rotherham – who axed boss Matt Taylor earlier this month.
      The managerless Millers sit in the Championship relegation zone and host Leeds on Friday night in a Yorkshire derby.
      He played for Derry City and Dundalk before joining University College Dublin, where he gained a degree in business commerce.
      After a short spell at Bohemians, he joined The Millers in January 2022 – where his first goal was the one which sealed promotion back to the Championship.
      Kelly added: “I was actually flying to and from Ireland three times a week when I joined Rotherham to complete my Masters.
      “I never thought I’d be playing in the Championship, so I am savouring it while I can.
      “Our home form has been good, but we know it is going to be a tough season.
      Kelly is one of a number of footballers who have invested in SokitoCredit: Rex
      Sokito make boots from carpet, plastic bottles and castor beansCredit: Instagram @officialsokito
      “We have a lot of new players, so it will take time for us to grind out results.”
      As for Sokito, its investors also include former Dutch international brothers Siem and Luuk de Jong, Borussia Dortmund striker Felix Nmecha and Norwegian midfielder Morten Thorsby.
      Kelly said: “Sokito is a start-up company, so I am buzzing to come on board and see how I can help.
      “There are a lot of pessimists out there when it comes to environmental issues, but I am optimistic and think it will be addressed, whether that is in the next 10 years or 20 years.” More

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      Footie fans being served pies and burgers in boxes made of seaweed — thanks to Prince William

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      FOOTIE fans are being served pies and burgers in packaging made from seaweed — thanks to Prince William.His team, Aston Villa, are trialling the boxes by Notpla, which won £1million in Earthshot Prize funding last year.
      Notpla’s co-CEO Pierre Paslier said the Prince of Wales saw the potential at Villa Park and helped to make the deal happenCredit: Getty
      The cartons were also used at all European footie finals last season.
      Notpla’s co-CEO Pierre Paslier said of Wills: “He saw the potential at Villa Park and helped to make the deal happen.”
      He added: “It is very helpful that he is President of the Football Association because it turns out stadiums use a lot of this type of packaging.
      “After getting introduced to football clubs and stadiums direct from the prince, we were able to build relationships with catering companies that offer packing and now expand to up to tens of stadiums.”
      READ MORE ON PRINCE WILLIAM
      William and 15 finalists will travel to Singapore for the third Earthshot Prize on November 7.
      Five winners will each get £1million for ideas that could help save the planet.
      The prince will also attend the United for Wildlife Global Summit on his five-day visit. More

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      Just Stop Oil eco-idiots plan to bring chaos to a Premier League game every weekend of the new season – here’s how

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      JUST Stop Oil activists plan to target a Premier League game every weekend of the coming season — by glueing themselves to turnstiles, posts and even pitches.Protesters are aiming to slow march in front of fan traffic around grounds before invading the playing surface during the match in a bid to gain “maximum impact” for their cause.
      Just Stop Oil are planning to cause chaos all season across the country when the Premier League restartsCredit: Getty
      Their plans to try to disrupt the Premier League, which is watched worldwide, follows several months of disturbances by the eco-protesters at UK sporting events.
      One JSO leader told his troops: “The Prem’s our Holy Grail.
      “We’re going to go for it.”
      The proposals were discussed in front of an undercover reporter, who infiltrated a tactics meeting of the orange powder-flinging pests.
      READ MORE JUST STOP OIL
      It emerged there that JSO are hell-bent on echoing member Louis McKechnie’s stunt of using a zip-tie to attach himself by the neck to a goalpost during a match.
      McKechnie, 21, was jailed for six weeks for aggravated trespass at the Everton versus Newcastle clash at Goodison Park in March.
      The senior JSO member said: “We’re looking to mobilise properly so we can target one match every weekend this season.
      “We’ll be travelling all over the country.
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      “It’s all about being organised, getting the people to the games and in the right positions.
      “We can offer more advice on this at a later date.”
      The man, in his 50s, added: “We want to be in a position where people expect disruption.
      “We want to get into the minds of fans, players and staff that each weekend we’ve got something on.
      “We’re very organised with our slow marches and we can mobilise like that for the Premier League.
      “We want to ram home our message.”
      The unnamed activist, based in southern England, went on: “We need to get tighter around our social media planning and around ticket purchasing for the matches.
      “We know the clubs will be aware we will be targeting them so we need to stay one step ahead.
      “Once we’re in, there’s a lot of opportunities like glueing ourselves to the ticket turnstiles on the gates. That would cause chaos.
      “Or getting on the pitch to glue ourselves to the grass or goalposts.
      “We can slow march in the streets around stadiums on match days to cause local traffic chaos.”
      Just Stop Oil protesters disrupted The Ashes last month with Jonny Bairstow having to interveneCredit: Rex
      Just Stop Oil’s headline-grabbing stunts this year have included an invasion at Lord’s during the second Ashes test in June.
      England wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow carried one trespasser off the playing area.
      A demonstrator scattered orange confetti during a match at Wimbledon while another targeted The Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club on the Wirral — both last month.
      Yet another threw orange powder after climbing on a table at the Snooker World Championship at Sheffield’s Crucible in April.
      The Grand National, Derby and British Grand Prix were also targeted.
      Tory MP Nigel Mills said: “The police need to throw the book at these people.
      “They’re committing crimes and must be dealt with.”
      As to the Premier League, he added: “Millions go to football matches every year for enjoyment after a week of working hard.
      “They don’t deserve to have it disrupted.”
      Read More on The Sun
      The Premier League was approached for comment.
      Sources said league chiefs were “very aware” of the threat from JSO.
      Wimbledon was another major sporting event targeted by Just Stop OilCredit: AFP
      Police escorted a protestor away at The Open last month after the prestigious golf tournament was targetedCredit: PA
      A protester even flung orange powder around to interrupt the snooker at Sheffield’s CrucibleCredit: Getty More

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      Chelsea’s stadium could be UNDERWATER in 30 years with club one of three in Premier League at risk from climate change

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      FOOTBALL is under severe threat from global warming.A quarter of professional football clubs in England and Wales face annual flooding of their stadiums this decade — and they could even be totally SUBMERGED by 2050.
      Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge could be submerged by 2050Credit: Reuters
      The world is facing a climate crisisCredit: Alamy
      Sunday night’s explosive Sky Sports documentary on climate change details the dangers the beautiful game faces in the 21st Century.
      In the programme, West Ham, Chelsea and Fulham are all warned their stadiums will not be able to cope with the increasing amount of rainfall forecast over the next few years.
      And the FA admitted: “The climate crisis is one of the most pressing issues of our time.
      “At its current rate, climate change will have a wide-reaching impact on all of us.
      READ MORE CHELSEA NEWS
      “In football, we’re already seeing matches affected due to extreme weather — particularly in our grassroots communities.”
      Leading climate change academic David Goldblatt has calculated that a quarter of the teams in the top four leagues will soon struggle to host matches regularly because of rising sea levels.
      And over the next 28 years, he believes several Prem stadiums will be submerged as the impact of global warming changes the landscape of the country for ever.
      Speaking on Football’s Toughest Opponent, Goldblatt said: “Extreme weather leads to extreme flooding.
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      “This is the climate crisis. We’re not talking about a few puddles on the pitch, we’re talking about 1.5 metres of water — which means no football.
      “In England, it’s really serious. My calculations are that around a quarter of professional stadiums in the top four leagues are under threat of annual flooding or actually being under water by 2050.”
      Goldblatt quotes figures that were published in his Rapid Transition Alliance document that examined the future of global sport in a changing climate.
      Sheffield Wednesday fans can certainly remember the 2007 floods when the Hillsborough pitch was submerged after the River Don burst its banks.
      Carlisle’s Brunton Park was also battered by floods as Storm Desmond decimated Cumbria nearly seven years ago.
      The documentary also claims one-third of “vulnerable” grassroots pitches in England are losing around six weeks every season through flooding and inadequate drainage.
      Brunton Park has experienced heavy floodingCredit: AFP – Getty
      Goldblatt said: “When we talk about coastal stadiums under threat, Southampton’s St Mary’s is really close to the water and really low.
      “Grimsby’s Blundell Park and Scunthorpe’s Glanford Park are in quite a bit of trouble.
      “And then inland, it’s more extreme rain, more extreme storms and systems that can’t cope with the volume of water coming into them.
      “That will affect some really big clubs. West Ham at the Olympic Stadium, Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge.
      “Fulham’s Craven Cottage is really in trouble — they had their shop flooded earlier this year. There’s more of that to come.”
      Liam Scully, chief executive of League One Lincoln, said: “Since I’ve been at the football club in the last 4½ years, we’ve had quite significant flooding on two occasions.
      “You look at the revenue point of view and the cost of mitigation and the cost of putting things back together again.
      “Football clubs are pillars of the community. Football clubs are far more than just a venue for Saturday games at 3pm. We also lose those non-matchday activities.”
      It is not just heavy rain, of course.
      Football teams will have to deal with rising temperatures —  especially as the UK hit a record-breaking 40.3C in July.
      And playing in bad air pollution will have a major effect on player performances.
      As a person who does have a little bit of a profile, I will try to use that to help in some wayBen Mee
      However, football clubs are fighting back and trying their hardest to save the planet.
      There are various green initiatives in place and many players themselves are acutely aware they can make a difference.
      Brentford defender Ben Mee, 33, says he has made efforts following his free transfer from Burnley in the summer to offset the carbon he produced by driving down the M6 and M1 motorways.
      Mee said: “I donated to a charity that plants trees and do climate work within the environment.
      “Ideally it would have been a completely carbon neutral transfer for us. But logistics and transfers happen quickly, it’s always difficult.
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      “I have looked into it over the past few years and become more aware about the environment.
      “As a person who does have a little bit of a profile, I will try to use that to help in some way.”
      Watch Football’s Toughest Opponent on Sunday at 7.30pm and 9pm on Sky Sports Premier League. More