The FA cup final at the new Wembley stadium is estimated to have left an environmental footprint 3,000 times the size of the pitch! Each fan travelling to the game and enjoying the culinary delights on offer would have a carbon footprint 10 times as large as the one they would have if they watched the game at home. Based on an analysis of the 2004 cup final by Dr Andrea Collins of Cardiff University, the environmental impact of such an event is massive. The major factors are the fans’ transport requirements and the huge amounts of processed foods they consume.
The environmental problem with processed food is the fact that it is processed. The industrial process of making and distributing the food is causing the damage to the environment.
