Leo Messi takes a stand against climate change: Joining forces with Join The Planet through an Eco-Friendly boots
Over the course of his remarkable career, Leo Messi has scored over 800 goals, including two in a recent 5-0 victory over Orlando City. He is now going to score a goal that matters to the entire earth. With the help of sustainable materials company Karün and environmental nonprofit Join the Planet, Argentina’s World Cup-winning number 10 is the face of a new effort that will harness the star’s “global influence to attract attention and generate resources for conservation projects.”
On March 1st, at 12:00 ET, the first phase of Messi’s partnership with these organizations went live on Twitch. According to the press release, it is a “first-of-its-kind collectable sculpture of Messi’s renowned soccer cleat that aims to redefine environmental value creation as we know it.”
Recycled materials from Ghana, Patagonia, Indonesia, China, Thailand, and India were used to create the sculpture. The majority of the material is made of recycled fiberglass, recycled polypropylene from bottle caps and abandoned ropes, and nylon from fishing nets. It has all been sorted, ethically gathered, and transported to the production plant. Later in March, the collector cleat will go up for sale. All sales earnings will go toward the restoration and preservation of the Paraná River, which flows through Rosario, Messi’s hometown.
A company called Join the Planet gathers and transforms waste and abandoned materials into new goods. The company’s named foundation, which is “dedicated to the protection and regeneration of nature through work with local communities,” uses the proceeds from these items.
Join the world’s website states that one of its goals is to “generate a positive impact on the planet” by facilitating connections between well-known public figures and local communities. To “amplify its reach and inspire global participation,” Join the Planet has partnered with well-known public figures like Leo Messi.