Gary Neville five-year plan for eco-friendly football

ShareGary Neville will use his Old Trafford testimonial on Tuesday to encourage supporters to consider environmental issues. Proceeds will be shared between a project to build a supporters' club centre near Old Trafford and Sustainability in Sport, an organisation the former Manchester United and England right-back has set up to encourage sports clubs to use alternative forms of energy. Go-ahead: Gary Neville has won a 17-month planning permission battle Neville, who is building a home on moorland near Bury fuelled entirely by wind and solar power, follows in the footsteps of former England team-mate David James, who hugged a tree to raise awareness of environmental issues. 'Over the past five years a series of events have made me recognise that I need to make a personal change in my lifestyle,' said Neville, who retired earlier this year. 'I've changed my car, I'm more aware of locally produced foods and I'm building a zero-carbon home. I still have a lot of changes to make and I'm sure if you followed me you could pick a lot of holes in my life. But it's a journey I want to make and one I feel we'll all have to make. 'I recognised that we had to change our energy consumption and knew that I couldn't make the difference in one day, so I decided it was going to be a five-year plan and that I would try to be someone who could promote the message, make it more accessible and encourage people to join in.' Underground bunker: The house will be on the edge of the West Pennine Moors Neville's partner in Sustainability in Sport is green entrepreneur Dale Vince, a former New Age traveller and founder and managing director of the green energy company Ecotricity, a sponsorship partner for Tuesday's match against Juventus. For tickets to Gary Neville's testimonial versus Juventus on Tuesday night call 0161 868 8000.  Gary Neville: Champions League final is United's biggest match since that glorious Wembley night 43 years agoVeteran Van der Sar admits he is dreading Old Trafford farewell  Explore more:People: Gary Neville, David James Places: United Kingdom