Lauren Barnes joins the Take 3 family

Take 3 for the Sea is delighted to officially welcome professional women’s soccer player, sustainability advocate and entrepreneur Lauren Barnes to our ambassador family. 

Born and raised in Southern California, Lauren is the star defender of NWSL’s OL Reign. She has had a successful career playing for OL Reign since 2013 and is currently playing in Tacoma, Washington. Lauren has played abroad in both Sweden and Australia; it was on her global travels that Lauren first discovered Take 3 for the Sea and deeply resonated with our message.

Lauren said: “Growing up by the ocean, the well-being of the environment has always held a special place in my heart. To me, sustainable living means doing the small things imperfectly. Living sustainably as a whole is a daunting challenge and we have to start somewhere.”

While Lauren has always been keen on environmentalism, her travel around the world for her career have been the catalyst for her activism and advocacy. After seeing the poverty and unsanitary conditions in many places abroad, Lauren has been able to work with Water1st in Ethiopia to build clean water systems in addition to her sustainability efforts in the U.S.

Lauren using her Take 3 tote bag while training.

During the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup, Lauren extensively tracked her own carbon footprint in the league’s “bubble” and developed an idea for a way to spread sustainable practices throughout the league as a whole. Her solution was to create a travel kit that meets the everyday needs of the typical professional athlete.

“I wanted to create a simple way for my teammates to engage in advocating for sustainability,” describes Barnes. “With our demanding schedules, it can be difficult to take the time to find brands that are both authentic in their focus on being environmentally-friendly and fit an athlete’s lifestyle. These kits solve that.”

The ‘Make A Difference’ kits are a set of eco-friendly products from toothbrushes and soap to protein powder and kitchen utensils. Compiled by Lauren Barnes as a continuation of her sustainability efforts in the NWSL, the kits are stocked exclusively by companies that have a proven track record of sustainable production.

Lauren training in her Take 3 T-shirt. 

Lauren said: “I’m excited to partner with Take 3 because they share my passion for prioritising the environment. It’s so exciting to see real change in environmental impact around you and I can’t wait to see even more with Take 3.”

Take 3’s CEO Sarah Beard said: “We are proud to have such a passionate, driven and talented athlete as a part of our team. We look forward to continue spreading the Take 3 message across the globe and are excited for the potential impact our relationship will have on the culture of sustainability and plastic consumption within the world of professional athletes.”

Welcome to the Take 3 family Lauren!

Find out more about Lauren and her journey by following her on Instagram and visiting the MAD Travel Kit website here.

All images taken by JaneG Photography.

© COPYRIGHT 2018. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TAKE 3 LTD IS A REGISTERED AUSTRALIAN CHARITY WITH DEDUCTIBLE GIFT RECIPIENT (CLASS 1) STATUS ABN: 39 169 307 340