Eco-boost for sports clubs

Some Whanganui sports clubs are set to save money and help the planet after a visit from Project Litefoot representatives this week.

Litefoot is a national charitable trust helping sports clubs save money and reduce environmental impact by adopting some simple power, water and waste-saving methods.

So far its LiteClub programme has visited 872 clubs nationwide and made changes calculated to save $5.1 million for sport and prevent 4495 tonnes of carbon emissions.

It's a free service made possible with funding support from NZ Community Trust and Whanganui Community Foundation.

This week Boxon Rugby League Club, Whanganui Darts League Association and Whanganui Collegiate Rowing Club were visited by sustainability adviser Claire Keeling and planning manager Maike Poggel, getting tips on how to save power by using LED lights, insulating the club's hot-water cylinder and better monitoring of water use. They also received tips on recycling.

Lisa Reweti, a Boxon league club founder member and general manager of Mid Central Zone Rugby League, said anything that saved the club money was a good thing.

"It's fantastic. It's something we don't have the money for and something we haven't really thought about either," Ms Reweti said.

She said the club had been renting the Bryce St building off the Whanganui District Council since 2008 but was responsible for all the outgoings such as rates and power.

Ms Keeling said Litefoot was a free service and aimed to inspire New Zealanders to be environmental champions.

It's led by 10 top sportspeople including Conrad Smith, Sarah Walker, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Kereopa, the Evers-Swindells twins, Michael Campbell, Barbara Kendall, Marina Erakovic and Moss Burmester.

She said since it began in 2011 seven Whanganui clubs had benefited from LiteClub's free efficiency makeover.

"Electricity, water and waste are the three areas where LiteClub improves efficiency. The goal is to reduce running costs, which frees up money to go back into what really matters - sport," Ms Keeling said.

She and Ms Poggel travel the country in a van stocked with efficient products including LED lightbulbs, water-saving devices, hot-water cylinder wraps, pipe lagging and indoor recycling stations.

Over a two- to three-hour visit they assess where improvements can be made and if possible make those changes on the spot.

"Clubs are usually cash-strapped and run by busy volunteers who don't have the time or money to make these changes," Ms Poggel said.

"By providing efficient products and installing them, LiteClub saves money for sport and shows that it can go hand-in-hand with an environmental win too."