Climate Justice & the Beautiful Game
In their inaugural season in the summer of 2022, Vermont Green Football Club set out to answer the question, Can a football club be a force for good? Besides winning games, their objective was to build a local soccer club that embeds environmental justice into its competitive strategy, operational processes, and culture.
“Up The Green,” a short documentary from SunCommon, tells the story of the club’s historic first season and the community’s overwhelmingly positive response to their ambitious pitch. What began as a shared dream among a few friends grows into something beyond their wildest expectations.
“The real genesis for the club was one of those classic “What if…?” conversations. Like what if we started a football club that addressed climate change?”
– Patrick Infurna, Vermont Green FC Co-Founder
DIRECTOR STATEMENT
“We were first introduced to Vermont Green Football Club at one of their first practices and got the mission pitch from the club’s co-founders. We were instantly compelled to capture and share their story with a larger audience, as their entire strategy was premised on climate justice through building a football club. In terms of a sports franchise taking an ethical position, their mission contrasted the global football landscape significantly.
As we tracked their progress throughout the season, we realized one of the most significant results of their efforts was a passionate and growing base of supporters. The way the fans locked onto the mission seemed to be fueling wins on the field, and the local excitement surrounding the team signaled a clear demand for more climate conscious sport communities.”
—Patrick McCormack, Up The Green Director
“The only way we’re going to solve what’s going on with the climate and decarbonize is by being more local and community focused in pretty much everything, including our entertainment.”
– Ren Russo, Fan
“When you think about wanting to teach youth, you want to meet them where they’re at. Our youth LOVES soccer. The best way to engage youth on a really important topic like climate change or climate justice is to connect it to something they care about.”
– Shabnam Beth Nolan, Executive Director, King Street Center
SunCommon & VGFC
SunCommon is proud to have been the founding title sponsor of Vermont Green Football Club, local soccer team with a climate justice mission. Vermont Green FC aims to promote climate & social justice through net zero operations, fighting systemic racism in soccer, and using their platform for education and awareness building, all while bringing the beautiful game to folks across the Northeast. Learn more about VGFC on their website here.
