A wind of change is blowing through the world of rugby. A green wind.

The 2007 Rugby World Cup, the 3rd largest sports event in the world with an estimated 2.5 million spectators from around the world, is being held in France from September 7 to October 20. The organizers, including a special rugby committee, a government agency and the French Rugby Federation, have vowed to make the event tangibly eco-friendly, and number of the players on the French team have given their names to the cause.

The French Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development issued a detailed press release at the end of August, outlining the three major axes of the Rugby World Cup environmental program: emissions calculations, concrete actions, and a publicity campaign. After calculating the impact that the six weeks of matches and festivities will have on the environment, including 570,000 tons of CO2 emissions, the government agency identified three spheres of action: public transport, renewable energies and waste management. Those actions, and other environmental issues, feature in the plan to raise awareness among the publics involved in the World Cup ― fans, employees, volunteers and television spectators ― with ecologically-oriented posters, leaflets and commercials.

The potential was great. The expectations were high. "This is it," I thought: the green movement is finally emerging from those polluted backwaters and, blown by the green wind, it is at long last moving into the mainstream. Even though I was not the proud holder of a ticket, I wanted to enjoy the atmosphere of fair play and bonhomie that characterizes rugby, witness the incredible growth of green, and relish the feeling of being one of the crowd, no more the eccentric tree-hugging freak of yore. What follows is an account of my experience last Friday at the "Stade de France," the Stadium of France, during the few hours preceding the opening ceremony and first match of the tournament, which pitted the French against the Argentineans.

The first sphere of action in the environmental program consists of the promotion and facilitation of public transport to and from the stadiums, and between the ten World Cup venues scattered across the country. The mythical Stade de France is located in the working-class suburb of Saint Denis, just a few miles north of the French capital. I took the D-line train from the centre of Paris out to Saint Denis without any trouble at all. It must be said, however, that my rapid journey cannot be attributed to the efficiency of the World Cup program since the D-line is part of the normal metropolitan subway and train system. No doubt the action in this sphere is going full guns, full eco-guns that is, at the other nine stadiums.

At the D-line station in Saint Denis, I joined the crowds for the 10 to 15 minute walk over to the Stade de France. Along the way, street vendors were selling flags, T-shirts and hats emblazoned with the French colors. One or two even dared to tout Argentinean merchandise. Others were selling hot dogs and drinks. I could not help but notice the trashcans along the way. They were already overflowing, glass plastic and paper all mixed together. Not to worry, I told myself, this sidewalk is not officially part of the stadium and therefore cannot possibly fall under the jurisdiction of the eco-friendly Rugby World Cup.

We continued on and down through a passage under the highway. Walking up the ramp on the other side, I tried to ignore more plastic cups strewn about. Then, there it was: the soaring stadium with a seating capacity of 80,000 that has hosted concerts by legends such as U2 and the Rolling Stones. The atmosphere was charged with a good-natured energy. Fans from across the globe were united by a common love of the game. Immediate bonds were being formed over sizeable jugs of beer.

A great green tent, with green flags flying, beckoned. Deep dark pine green. That must be the hub for the environmental publicity campaign, I thought. What a momentous occasion! The victory of the green revolution was upon us. The tears welled up in my eyes and a lump rose in my throat… but wait. What were those happy rugby revelers holding? Plastic cups. And what did those letters on the green tent spell? H-e-i-n-e-k-e-n. The great green tent, with green flags flying, beckoned. Deep dark bottle green.

Well, they weren’t biodegradable but at least those plastic goblets would be recycled, I consoled myself as I recalled that waste management is the third sphere of eco-action at the 2007 Rugby World Cup. I looked around for the closest recycling bin. There weren’t any close at hand, so I strolled round to the south side of the stadium. I strode to the north, then over to the east, and back to the west. I marched right around the colossal thing. Not a recycling bin in sight. All the green action must be inside the stadium, I concluded. But wasn’t that where all the rugby action was taking place? Besides, food and drink are forbidden inside the stadium, so all of the waste action was happening outside and none of it was being recycled.

What a disappointment. I was about to head back to Paris when I remembered that final axis of the environmental program, the publicity campaign. At the very least those jolly fans would be conscious of the contributions they can make to help save our planet, those small gestures in everyday life. That is, if they were not performing those green deeds already. Indeed, according to the press release those who had ordered their tickets by mail also received a leaflet containing practical information and a "clear message" about cooperating to achieve an eco-friendly World Cup with a "limited impact climate change."

I asked a few chaps from Paris if they had seen the message. They didn’t know what in the world I was talking about. When I mentioned the environmental program, one guy wondered if I was referring to the giant screens that are supposed to relay the games live for those who cannot afford to buy tickets.

Sharon and Paul were more willing to chat. They have come all the way from Tasmania, and will be attending 14 games. When I marveled at the distance they had traveled, Paul said, "Yeah, we walked. It took us three years." They bought their tickets eighteen months ago. "We bought tickets for Paris and tickets for Nantes," Sharon said. "We’re going to all the games in those two venues." When asked what came with the tickets, Sharon said "There was like a poster with maps of all the stadiums and lots of information about the center of the union, and things like that." There was one other thing. "When we bought the tickets, we had to sponsor a local rugby team somewhere in France," the couple said. Anything else, anything about the environment? Nope.

As I said goodbye to Paul and Sharon and wished them a happy World Cup, it became clear that the wind of change was nothing more than a lot of hot air, and that’s the last thing we need more of.

It was time to go home. Perhaps I would watch the weather lady on national French television. According to the press release, she will be "coaching" 10 million television spectators on the eco-friendly behavior they should adopt during the World Cup, "and after!" Then again, maybe I wouldn’t.

The green revolution lives! Long live the green revolution!

Image Source: blogrugby2007

French Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development