Challenge! Wimbledon say Avocados still in
Panic rippled through brunch circles after reports claimed Wimbledon had ditched avocado in favour of crushed peas as part of a sustainability shake-up. Even the World Avocado Organisation weighed in on Thursday, rushing to defend the fruit's reputation.
But Wimbledon organisers on Thursday said there is no official ban – and avocado was spotted alive and well in an Itsu king prawn poke bowl sold near Henman Hill. So fans can breathe easy and keep calm.
The All England Tennis Club (AELTC) has sought to reduce the amount of avocado served on site, and is offering crushed British peas for some dishes, but was clear there is no ban and that the ingredient still features in a number of products.
The club has taken more measures, including the removal of gas cookers from 30 of the 42 kitchens on site, solar water tubes and 100 per cent renewable electricity to power the grounds, as it aims to reduce emissions to net zero by 2030.
'We want to be net zero for our operations by 2030 and net zero for everything else including the supply chain by 2040," AELTC's senior sustainability manager, Hattie Park, told Reuters on Thursday on the sidelines after an environmental panel discussion.
'There is still gas use on site for heating in the Centre Court buildings and Number One court, we need to find a way to electrify that as well. It's a complex operation, we're trying to work out how we do it with minimum disruption,' she added.
Extreme heat has also become a real concern as Wimbledon experienced its hottest-ever start on Monday when temperatures climbed to 32.3 degrees Celsius.
'The extra heat is something that I've been worried about for years,' AELTC's Park said.
'We need to mitigate our impact from fossil fuels and adapt to climate. If we can have nature-based solutions, green and blue infrastructure, that is naturally cooling and helps with natural resilience,' Park added.
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