GAA's goal is a greener Croke Park

A NEW green initiative to make Dublin’s Croke Park a carbon-free stadium was announced yesterday by the GAA and the ESB.

The stadium, which has a capacity for 82,300 people, is to immediately cut its annual 4,500- tonne carbon output by more than two-thirds by employing an environmental management system covering the stadium’s electricity and waste water services.

Croke Park will immediately contract to buy its electricity from a renewable energy source, and an energy audit will be conducted by the ESB to establish how the stadium can become “carbon zero”.

The aim of the energy audit is to deliver the international standard in environmental management, ISO 14001, for Croke Park’s activities.

The home of Gaelic games and headquarters of the GAA, the stadium also houses a substantial conference centre which recently played host to Dublin City Council’s conference on the future development of the city.

Croke Park has also built a reputation as a major concert venue, having played host to many world-class performers. Upcoming events include a Celine Dion concert on May 30th, Westlife on June 1st and Neil Diamond on June 14th.

Some 2.2 million people attended the venue last year and the new initiative – called Cúl Green – will seek to persuade those who attend concerts, conferences or matches to offset their carbon footprint.

A new website is to be set up so visitors can find ways of reducing the collective 15,000 tonnes of carbon which it is estimated they release in travelling to and from the stadium.

Croke Park will also add an environmental awareness dimension to the stadium’s museum, which is visited by more than 75,000 people a year.

GAA president Nicky Brennan said the scheme would reflect the “tradition of service and support for the community” which was native to both the ESB and the GAA. “This initiative will set a standard of responsibility towards the environment for all our supporters and is a showcase for what can be achieved through the active participation and behaviour of our fans.”