FOREST GREEN chairman Dale Vince believes football is finally waking up to the climate crisis ahead of clubs embracing the latest Green Football Weekend campaign.

Green Football Weekend has returned for a second consecutive year with supporters encouraged to try a vegetarian option instead of a meat dish at football grounds this week where a number of activities will take place.

Arsenal and Liverpool will host a veggie lunch for fans ahead of tomorrow’s clash at Ashburton Grove, while Crystal Palace ditched plastic cups for paper beer cups for Tuesday’s home fixture with Sheffield United and West Ham hosted a veggie bake-off.

Other Premier League, Football League and Women’s Super League clubs will highlight the impact of food on climate change with vegetarian and vegan meals typically producing a lower carbon footprint than meat options.

“More than 80 clubs have signed up to it this year and that’s the whole top four flights of English football,” Vince, owner of all-vegan club Forest Green, told the PA news agency.

“I think you look at the level of participation, you’ve got to say football is waking up to this and taking part. I like that.

“What is really surprising is when you put it in front of people with some simple information about what the problems are and what they can do about it, they do something about it!

“I am a big believer in the power of football to get the message across and get people to change how they live because we’ve seen it at Forest Green.”