Desert Vipers lead sporting charge for biodiversity

Guyana’s international cricketer Shimron Hetmyer has called on sporting organisations around the world to support environmental protection efforts, highlighting the role athletes and teams can play in promoting biodiversity and reducing their environmental footprint.
Hetmyer, an ambassador for the Desert Vipers, was speaking about the franchise’s involvement in the Global Biodiversity Alliance (GBA), of which the team have become the first sporting organisation to sign on, demonstrating how sport can contribute to the protection of nature and help mobilise financing for biodiversity initiatives.
Speaking on the Starting Point Podcast, hosted by Kiana Wilburg, Hetmyer highlighted some of the practical measures implemented by the Desert Vipers to minimise waste, particularly the use of reusable water bottles.
“I think it’s more so to do with your carbon footprint. When you think about it, with the amount of plastic stuff that you have around, especially when you’re at a cricket ground, everyone’s drinking water, drinking Gatorade and stuff like that, then that bottle just gets thrown in the grass or just thrown in a bin, and no one thinks about it afterwards,” Hetmyer explained.

He noted that the Desert Vipers have introduced a system where players are provided with personalised bottles that can be repeatedly refilled from water containers, reducing the need for disposable plastic bottles.
“So every time you finish drinking water from that bottle, you just head over and keep refilling. In turn, our carbon footprint is much less, with less plastic and less garbage around the place,” he added.
The Guyanese batsman, who joined the franchise last year, said he was impressed by the organisation’s commitment to biodiversity and environmental sustainability, admitting that he had not initially realised how significant the initiative was to the team’s operations.
Hetmyer also encouraged other sporting organisations to follow the Desert Vipers’ example, stressing that environmental responsibility should extend across all sporting disciplines.
“Honestly, everyone should get on board, man. Even, I think all sports should get on board, regardless of what sport it is that you’re playing, whether it be cricket, football, in America they call it soccer for some reason, the NFL, baseball, whatever sport it is, just get involved,” he said.
He added that the initiative represented an opportunity for sporting organisations to contribute positively not only to their respective countries but also to the wider world.
Hetmyer also participated in an engagement at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), where he delivered remarks on the significance of the alliance and its commitment to promoting biodiversity, environmental awareness, and collective action.
During the engagement, he presented a signed Desert Vipers jersey and bat, marking the franchise’s participation in the Global Biodiversity Alliance.