Ben Mee on his carbon neutral transfer & how fans can get involved in Green Football Weekend

Ben Mee's transfer to Brentford during the summer transfer window was significant for a number of reasons.

One was that the Bees were able to secure themselves a new star central defender, but perhaps the main reason was that it was the first ever carbon neutral transfer in Premier League history.

By teaming up with Carbon Neutral Britain, the former Burnley defender was able to offset his carbon output - planting 20 trees a month and offsetting 15 tonnes of CO² per year to do so.

To discuss his positive impact in football's climate conversation and the upcoming Green Football Weekend - aimed at getting fans to help their clubs reduce their carbon footprint - Mee sat down with 90min's Sean Walsh:

Planet League's Rich Holmes & Sustainable Clarets' Cat Jebson join Shebahn Aherne to have football's climate conversation ahead of Green Football Weekend. If you can’t see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!

How did you first get interested in reducing your carbon footprint?

"I got interested in reducing my carbon footprint mainly because I had children, that's been a main part of it. Getting involved in it and getting used to changing my habits and just trying to reduce my carbon footprint, live a little bit cleaner, and I'm feeling better for it."

Are there any specific climate conscious actions that you take that fans can replicate?

"I think fans could probably replicate lowering consumption. You see reusable items now, cups and things like that, that can help. Changing habits in and around the home is fantastic, recycling and using bit that are more than just for single use would be great."

Have you noticed other players at Brentford taking more of an interest in climate change?

"Some players are definitely asking more questions about it. I have an electric car so some players have been asking about the electric cars and how they are used, the range on it, and how easy I've found it. So yeah there's been interest and some of the boys are already keen to do some [climate conscious] things as well."

Do you fancy Brentford's chances in the Green Football Cup?

"I think our fans will do great in the Green Football Cup, we're a forward-thinking club and I think the club shows the way and fans will really get on board with it. Hopefully we can do well in it and show how forward-thinking we are. We have plenty of things around the club that are helping, be it the electric chargers for cars, reusable items and the shirt itself [the club reused the same home kit for two seasons] which has been a fantastic project. Hopefully the fans can get on board and do really well in it."

You offset the emissions of your transfer to Brentford. How did that come about and how did you do it?

"I was a free transfer and we had the idea of trying to be the first transfer to be carbon neutral. Ideally it would've been nice to drive down in an electric car and do it that way but in the end it wasn't quite viable to do that so we offset our carbon emissions with the help of Carbon Neutral Britain for the whole year. We was great to be able to do it and to highlight the climate through doing that also which is great."

What's your journey been like since that carbon neutral transfer?

"I think it's been a real learning curve for me, it's opened up a lot of conversations for me, being involved in Sky Zero to talk and communicate. I don't feel like I'm a perfect role model for it but I'm learning about it and trying to become engaged in it more and more."

Why is Green Football Weekend important?

"It's something that all fans and clubs can get behind and through the power of football we can encourage other fans and people around football to highlight sustainability and what we can do to build sustainability projects, creating habits for each other to help out in any way we can."

Green Football Weekend is the biggest football and climate campaign ever staged, unleashing the power of football to tackle climate change and protect nature. Running until 5th Feb, the campaign brings together football fans, more than 80 professional football clubs, Sky Sports, BT Sport, the FA, EFL, National Trust and many more. Find out more atwww.greenfootballweekend.com.