With the 2024 general election mere days away, environmental advocacy group EcoAthletes is partnering with high-profile sportspersons, including WNBA player Napheesa Collier, urging citizens to “vote climate” for candidates whose platforms prioritize sustainability.
Boasting nearly one hundred partner athletes in the United States alone, EcoAthletes was founded by Green Sports Blog creator Lew Blaustein in 2020 to educate sports fans about the threat of climate catastrophe.
“Athletes are the most influential humans on the planet, and that’s not just me talking,” explained Blaustein. According to a 2020 study conducted by researchers from Wake Forest University, the activism of professional athletes can greatly shift the perspective of fans on the issues they champion.
Although athletes were shown to be highly effective in mobilizing public opinion, Blaustein noted that prior to EcoAthletes, sportspersons with high visibility were hesitant to voice their stance on environmental issues.
“I would ask them, ‘why are you not talking about climate change while you’re doing beach cleanups and e-waste recycling drives and etc.?’” said Blaustein. He said their response was, “Too science-y, too political and too hypocritical.”
Despite efforts to bring high-profile athletes into the discussion on climate change, many feared receiving backlash regarding their own carbon emissions, heightened due to frequent flights to sports venues.
“I felt like there needed to be an organization that helps athletes who are environmentally-minded and climate-minded get off the sidelines and into the climate game,” concluded Blaustein.
One of EcoAthletes’ foremost advocates is former UConn women’s basketball star and 2024 Olympic gold-medalist Napheesa Collier, whose recent successes as a forward for the Minnesota Lynx have made ‘Phee’ a modern legend.
“It’s such a pivotal time right now for our global climate and through voting, you’ll help put the people in office who are going to make those decisions,” emphasized Collier.
Approached by Blaustein in her rookie season, Collier noted that her climate anxieties rose as she realized that damage to the planet was slowly becoming irreversible.
“I started thinking about the future and what that would look like for my daughter. It may not be the end of my world, but it could be the end of hers,” said Collier. “The U.S. is one of the largest contributors to global emissions, so I think it’s kind of our duty to be able to be up to date on that and vote accordingly.”
In explaining their organization’s mission, Blaustein and Collier emphasized that EcoAthletes’ campaign for a healthier planet did not begin with the election, and it will not end after the votes are counted.
“Keep reaching out to your elected officials even after you vote.” said Collier. “Voting is the first step, and then holding them accountable.”
Alongside the Vote Climate initiative, EcoAthletes hosts various sustainability-oriented programs to connect professional athletes with fans under the shared mission of green activism. Efforts such as the Clothes For Good Campaign mobilize pro sportspersons around the world in reusing and recycling apparel and avoiding ecologically harmful waste.
Speaking of what she would like to accomplish as an EcoAthlete champion, Collier commented, “We do a basketball camp for kids in our community, so in Minnesota, and then we [are planning to] do climate education afterwards. The youth is something that I’m really interested in, and what I naturally gravitate towards.”
EcoAthletes additionally recognizes the importance of reaching out to members of the college community, with UConn middle-distance runner Caroline Webb being a partner to the organization.
Speaking on EcoAthletes’ recent Collegiate Cup initiative, Blaustein explained, “Champions on campuses across the nation sign up their teammates, friends and family, and urge them to work out. That exercise is converted into an environmental currency that funds carbon reduction projects, specifically methane capture. The school that exercises the most on aggregate wins the Cup, but the climate is the big winner.”
“Caroline will work to bring UConn onto the 2025 Collegiate Cup podium,” said Blaustein.
Correction: This article was updated on Nov. 8 to clarify a prospective initiative.