05: How Can We Make Athletics More Sustainable? - Advice from a Stanford Lecturer
- Hitomi
- Aug 31
- 1 min read
Updated: Sep 4
Short Summary
Dr. Suki Hoagland, a Stanford sustainability lecturer and former elite athlete, discusses her transition from sports to environmental research. She gives an overview of the significant environmental impact of athletics due to energy use, travel, and materials. Hoagland stresses the need to tackle plastic pollution, food consumption, and venue resilience, urging athletes to leverage their visibility for climate action.
Key Learnings
Sustainability = Human Thriving
It’s not just about survival or resilience but creating conditions where future generations (the “seventh generation”) can thrive.
Sports & Environmental Impact
Ice rinks, stadiums, and athletic travel demand huge amounts of energy.
Global sports culture—venues, gear, food, and flights—creates a significant carbon footprint.
Climate Change Threatens Sports
Heat waves already cause athlete deaths (e.g., football).
By 2080, only Sapporo may be suitable to host the Winter Olympics due to lack of snow.
Extreme weather (hurricanes, flooding) threatens stadium infrastructure.
Key Problem Areas
Venues: Energy-intensive, vulnerable to climate disasters.
Gear & Equipment: Major waste, poor recycling.
Plastics: Now found everywhere—from the ocean to human organs.
Food Systems: Protein-heavy diets (especially meat) consume land, water, and forests while polluting ecosystems.
Role of Athletes
Athletes may feel overburdened with social causes, but climate change is inescapably tied to fairness and justice.
Their influence and visibility make them powerful advocates to shift industry practices and inspire fans.
About the Speaker
Dr. Hoagland is a Lecturer in Stanford’s Doerr School of Sustainability. She launched a course on Sustainability in Athletics five years ago with a team of scholar-athletes. Fun fact-she’s also a former national silver medalist in pairs figure skating, with tons of dance training herself.
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