A professional UK soccer team's new jerseys show how much the climate has warmed since the team was founded

• A UK soccer team unveiled new jerseys to highlight the impact of climate change.
• Reading Football Club introduced stripes on its sleeves to show rising temperatures. 
• The jersey is made of recycled plastic bottles and can be recycled. 

A professional soccer team in the UK debuted new jerseys on Monday that highlight how much the climate has warmed since the team was founded in 1871. 

Reading Football Club said in a statement that stripes on the new jersey's sleeves represent the average temperature each year of the club's history — blue stripes represent years that were cooler than average, while a red stripe means the year was hotter than average. 

The jersey is made of recycled plastic bottles and can be recycled itself. 

University of Reading Professor Ed Hawkins, who created the jersey in 2018, wrote on Twitter that the "kit is already starting conversations amongst football fans about the climate & what can be done to reduce emissions." 

Hawkins said temperatures in Reading — west of London — have risen 1.5°C (2.7°F) since 1863. 

—Ed Hawkins (@ed_hawkins) July 25, 2022

Reading FC's announcement comes a week after the UK broke its all-time temperature record at 102.4°F (40.2°C), causing a slew of issues in the transportation sector.