The Footballer Scoring Environmental Goals

Shelley’s World Cup tipping so far…

With the office deep in World Cup frenzy over the last two weeks, it feels like the time is right to impart the football frenzy onto the blog. Every four years the World Cup brings many things, like England loosing on penalties and extensive post game analysis every morning in the office. One of the best parts of the World Cup however is the goals, each World Cup there is always a spectacular array of goals scored to tide us over for the next four years until the World Cup rolls around again. But what about the goals footballers are scoring off the pitch?

Mathieu Flamini is an ex-French international midfielder currently plying his trade in Spain, while scoring goals in the pitch he is scoring far greater goals off the pitch, environmental goals that is! In 2008 Famini co-founded the company GFBiogeochemicals with Pasquale Granata. The company, in partnership with the University of Pisa and the Polytechnic University of Milan began exploring options for bio-based sustainable alternatives to oil-based products across a range of market sectors.

The company developed a method to produce Levulinic acid, more technically known as 4-oxopentanoic acid. GFBiogeochemicals have been the first company to produce the acid at high yields, with high efficiency on a industrial scale. The acid is used as the building blocks for a wide range of compounds, replacing hydrocarbons (which are obtained from petroleum). The acid can be used to create a range of more environmentally friendly everyday items including fragrances, solvents, plastics, skin care, pharmaceuticals and bio-polymers among many others.

Flamini is one example of a footballer who has taken their passion for kicking goals outside of football and applied it to the environment, helping to create a more environmental sustainable future for all.

Our office when Iran scored in the 95th minute!