On Tuesday, January 27, Kashima Antlers held an "Environmental Education Class" at Kashima City Hanou Elementary School in their hometown.
Kashima Antlers is promoting "sustainability" activities to walk hand-in-hand with the community and pass on a rich global environment to future generations. The purpose of this class was to help children in the hometown develop a deeper interest in environmental issues and deepen their understanding of how to protect their future. The lecturer was Yasushi Endo, a former club player and "J.League Climate Action Ambassador," who, together with 5th-grade students, conducted an environmental class to think about the future of the Earth.
In the class, the topic was "The Impact of Environmental Problems on Soccer" to help children understand the current state of the environment and climate change as their own problem.
Yasushi Endo presented examples of recent extreme heat affecting players' performance and bodies, and games being cancelled due to abnormal weather such as record heavy rains and lightning. The children listened intently to the fact that "soccer is facing a crisis due to environmental changes."
After the lecture, a group work session was held where children thought about their own environmentally friendly actions. Mr. Endo also gave concrete advice such as, "There are environmentally friendly actions that we do casually every day, like bringing an eco-bag." The children then offered their opinions one after another. They discovered "hints for protecting the future" in their daily lives, such as sorting garbage and reducing food waste, and enthusiastically discussed actions they could take.
Furthermore, during presentation time, many groups eagerly raised their hands, wanting to "convey their ideas!" In addition to concrete "actions" to protect the environment, ideas for involving others were also presented, such as "disseminating environmental activities on social media to make more people aware." Mr. Endo nodded deeply, saying, "It's really important to gain allies and raise awareness," and listened earnestly to each opinion.
Kashima Antlers will continue to earnestly face the future of the earth, people, and regions with the same passion as winning on the pitch, based on the desire to "protect an environment where future generations can enjoy soccer with peace of mind."
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