I’m an environmentalist, but…

Loving something doesn’t mean you can’t question it.

Jul 16, 2025

I love tennis.

Playing it, watching it, obsessing over it. It’s not the first sport that comes to mind you’d think I wouldn’t play after claiming that I’m conscious about the climate collapse and environmental consequences, and I’m painfully aware of that. But it’s also one of the few things that brings me consistent joy. So I allow myself.

I first picked up a racket four years ago, during Covid. I’d just moved to London and was trying to figure out how to build community in a new city during a pandemic. Tennis started out as a way to meet people outdoors (which was the safest way to meet anyone, really). It taught me how to listen to my body, watch myself evolve, and bounce back from emotional hits faster.

It’s actually teaching me more about business and life than most frameworks. But this isn’t a “5 lessons tennis taught me about leadership” type of content. (If I see one more of those, honestly, I’ll vomit)

I live in Wimbledon. I follow the Grand Slam obsessively despite knowing it’s riddled with contradictions.

And that’s exactly why I borrowed Deborah Frances-White’s format in the opening. Reframing it not just for environmentalism, but for living politically in a contradictory world.

Deborah (whom I’m seeing live this week, by the way, and I’m very excited about it) opens every episode of The Guilty Feminist with:
“I’m a feminist, but…”
It’s a confession, a wink, an invitation. A way of saying, this is who I am, and I’m still unlearning.

So I’m borrowing her format. Reworking it for the climate crisis, for the culture of silence, and for the parts of ourselves that don't quite fit the activism playbook.

We recycle, but we fly.
We shop secondhand, but still buy that new find.
We love animals (and those ridiculous goats trying to jump fences), but we eat meat.
We adore turquoise oceans, but we dump plastic into them.
We love hearing birds sing, and then light fireworks at New Year.

We care. But we also live here, in this deeply contradictory world.

And the fear of being called out makes us opt out. If I am to invent a new word (bear with me - it’s my thing) it’s values-hushing. (Like green-hushing but for values)

But perfectionism is a tactic of silence. And silence is exactly what these systems rely on.

We don’t need a thousand people living perfectly sustainable lives. We need millions demanding justice while doing it messily.

So here I am:
I’m an environmentalist, but I love Wimbledon. Oh what’s the problem with Wimbledon? (Picks up the papers)👇

Let’s talk SUVs and seeded grass

Let me start with an acknowledgement of the positive first. Wimbledon has made visible strides in its sustainability efforts. The electricity is now 100% renewable. Single-use plastics are largely gone. Food waste is composted. Even the traditional Victoria sponge has been reimagined with a plant-based recipe and banana-skin icing to cut carbon impact.

They’re also using peat-free compost, installing bee hives, labelling food by carbon rating, and cutting back on avocados in favour of British-grown peas.

But here’s the part you might not know:

Wimbledon’s grass is flown in from Norway, seeded and pampered all year for just a few weeks of tournament play. The balls? Rotated every few games and resold. These things matter, but they’re also distractions.

Because the real elephant (or Range Rover) in the room is transport.

Travel accounts for up to 84% of the tournament’s total emissions. In 2023 alone, that meant over 33,000 tonnes of CO₂e from fans, players, staff, and media flying or driving in from around the world. Wimbledon’s own operations add another 3,500 tonnes.

And while spectators are encouraged to use public transport, Wimbledon continues to partner with SUV sponsors. Players are chauffeured in branded vehicles, sold as luxury, aspirational, modern. The greenwashing is so good it’s almost impressive.

But here are some facts that can’t be washed that easily:

SUVs are 44% more likely to kill pedestrians or cyclists
82% more likely to kill a child
They’re now the second-largest contributor to global CO₂ growth
They make up 62% of new car sales in the UK
And bonnet heights have increased so much that most drivers can’t see a child in front of them

During the tournament last year, two eight-year-old girls were killed by an SUV nearby. A coalition of local parents and campaigners, led by SUV-alliance, wrote to Wimbledon urging them to cut ties with Range Rover. The response was silence.

Check out SUV-Alliance for the work they’re doing to hold events like Wimbledon accountable. Because this isn’t just about cars. It’s about how systems like these use prestige and culture to keep dangerous norms intact. (links below)

The Championships swallowing a park

Wimbledon isn’t just greening its image, it’s expanding. The All England Club plans to triple its footprint, adding 39 new courts and an 8,000-seat stadium on protected Metropolitan Open Land.

Locals are pushing back. The land is designated Metropolitan Open Land, with a legal covenant meant to restrict development. Over 250 residents rallied at the High Court. Campaigners fear the loss of 300+ mature trees and long-term damage to wildlife habitats.

Wimbledon promises new parkland, biodiversity gains, and free tickets for kids (they even give priority in ticket sales to the locals). But it’s hard to take those promises at face value when they’re tied to bulldozers bringing down trees.

I fought for the trees in Istanbul a decade ago. I won’t stay quiet for the ones here, no matter how much I love the game.

Because if even conservation land isn’t safe from expansion in the name of tradition, what is?

Loving something doesn’t mean you can’t question it.

Joy and critique can co-exist. So can pleasure and responsibility. So yes: I’m an environmentalist. And I love tennis. But I also believe Wimbledon needs to be held accountable for the stories it tells, and the harm it helps maintain.

This week’s provocation

What’s your “I’m a [politic] but…”?
Where are you still holding back from claiming your politics because you think you don’t fit the mould? I invite you all to chat, and post about it this week. (Always feel free to tag me, and I’ll join the conversation)

This week’s inspiration

A tweet by Leslie Nneka Arimah I’ve seen on @myvoicemychoice
She saves her female friends’ partners in her phone using The Handmaid’s Tale naming model. Like James OfAmy. LOVE IT and totally copying it!

If you’re still reading, I’m blushing (or concerned) Either way, feel free to share. It helps more than you think.👇

Sources

Loved it and so close to a recent personal experience. Might have crossed in spirit as last week I was in Silverstone for the Grand Prix. I’m an environmentalist but “supporting The sport” run by fossil fuels 😢. Yes it was work, and yes with a lot of Carbon footprint just my flight alone from Oz to UK. I guess will have to think about it next time, or maybe highlight the good things that the sports are doing but also the not so good ones too.

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Quiet is a lie

Discussion about this post

Quiet is a lie

I’m an environmentalist, but…

Loving something doesn’t mean you can’t question it.

Let’s talk SUVs and seeded grass

The Championships swallowing a park

This week’s provocation

This week’s inspiration

Wimbledon Environmental Data & Practices:

SUV Critique & Stats:

Wimbledon Expansion & Community Resistance:

Discussion about this post