Green Sports Day pushes to protect environment

MINNEAPOLIS -- Dozens of kids in the Twin Cities are leading the way in the fight against climate change. And they're drawing inspiration from a hometown athlete on how to make the love of sports an avenue for change.

Leading a team on the field toward a common goal is just part of Tony Sanneh's life as a former professional soccer player. It looks a little different now, but the competitive spirit and teamwork remains -- along with a new mission in which everyone, especially our planet, wins.

"I think it's never too early to teach people the right way to live and be healthy and to protect their future," Sanneh said.

Earlier this month the Sanneh Foundation -- which strives to improve the lives of Minnesota kids -- and the Green Sports Alliance celebrated Green Sports Day, a nationwide effort to take action on protecting the environment in a sustainable way.

Instead of playing soccer on a field, they cleaned it up, sporting the uniform of a mean green machine.

"They got some education on ways to recycle. We found out that they know a lot more than we think they know, and that they're willing to put in the time and effort to ensure that that place is a healthier planet in the future for them," Sanneh said.

The Green Sports Alliance encourages all levels of sports, from the pros down to the youth level, to take action on sustainability.

The kids also visited Target Field to learn how the Twins incorporate climate action into their daily operations.

"Our kids are fans but they're also participants and they have their own role," Sanneh said.

"Leadership starts when they're six years old and they're out there turning lights off, or collecting waste and recycling properly," Jason Twill said.

A team effort to change the world around them that organizers hope will continue off the field, and for years to come.