Loughborough Uni Reps and the Climate Cup

Carbon Jacked specialise in helping individuals and organisations engage with climate issues in creative and accessible ways. Together with Loughborough University, they’ve developed a competition that makes sustainability both tangible and engaging.

The Climate Cup has run throughout the academic year, challenging sports clubs to rethink their habits and use their platforms for good. At POW UK, we know that the outdoor sports community is a massive, untapped force for climate action, and the Climate Cup taps directly into Loughborough’s strong sporting network to create a powerful platform for change.

For Loughborough Snowsports (SNO), the connection to climate action is clear. As a club whose activities depend on winter environments, members are no strangers to the impacts of a warming world on snow sports. It perfectly embodies the POW ethos: stepping up to protect the things we love, making their involvement in the competition especially meaningful.

Throughout the year, putting POW's message of "Imperfect Advocacy" into practice, the club has introduced a range of practical changes across how they travel and consume to reduce their environmental impact.

 

And that’s just the start.

Action doesn't just happen on the mountain; it happens in our local communities, too. The club also took part in a SpoGomi event - an innovative Japanese sport that turns litter picking into a team competition. Teams of three were given one hour to collect as much litter as possible from the surrounding area, with points awarded based on both weight and type of waste collected.

Loughborough SNO placed fourth on the day, contributing to an impressive total of 281kg of litter removed. Together, initiatives like the Climate Cup show how small, collective actions can create meaningful change.

All of this hard work has paid off: Loughborough SNO has officially been announced as the winners of the Climate Cup! As part of the prize, 100 trees have been planted through Veritree, and we are currently waiting for confirmation on how much will be donated to charity.

By rethinking how we travel, consume, and connect with the outdoors, student communities like Loughborough SNO are helping to protect the places they love. It’s this kind of grassroots action that sits at the heart of Protect Our Winters UK’s mission, empowering people to turn awareness into impact and drive the cultural shift needed to tackle climate change.

Want to spark change at your own university or local club? Find out more about becoming a POW UK University Rep or join the POW UK community today and help protect the things we love - for everyone.

If you’re 18 to 29 and want to turn your passion for the outdoors into real action, we’ve just launched our POW UK Changemakers programme. It’s designed to break down barriers to climate education and equip you with the tools to step up for the places we play. Learn more about the initiative and apply for your fully-funded spot today.