greenliving
counts—New York City’s venerable Yankee Stadium reduced its trash load by 40 percent by switching to biodegradable cups and service ware. PepsiCo supported the upgrade by exchanging its conventional plastic bottle for a bio-based version made from agricultural waste.
AMERICA’S GAMES GREENING
Major Leagues Sport More Sustainable Stadiums by Avery Mack
T
raditional sports stadiums and arenas generate a huge carbon footprint. Multiple sources concur that during a single football game, a 78,000-seat stadium can consume 65,000 kilowatt hours of electricity, and discarded cardboard, plastic and paper; in-stadium food and beverage containers; and tailgating debris that includes cans and bottles leave behind a mountain of waste.
A dozen years ago, the pioneering Philadelphia Eagles enlisted the help of the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) to begin a persistent push to their goal of going green. Today, the NRDC publishes the Greening Advisor guidebooks on green operating practices for all professional teams in Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League and Major League Soccer, plus the U.S. Tennis Association, and
has expanded to include college sports.
Food
Stadium food has always been part of the fan experience, but it’s possible to eat sensibly and well with options like the roasted turkey sandwich at AT&T Park, in San Francisco, where concessionaires source locally and compost leftovers. Veggie burgers, vegan cheesesteaks and sushi have also found their way onto game-day menus to add a change of pace for fans, says Julianne Soviero, author of Unleash Your True Athletic Potential. The growing interest shown by the sports industry in composting offers enormous potential benefi ts, and not a moment too soon, says Allen Hershkowitz, Ph.D., co- founder of the Green Sports Alliance and director of the NRDC Sports Project. Using recyclable containers
22 Central Florida natural awakenings
Lights At New York’s Oncenter War Memorial Arena, the American Hockey League’s Syracuse Crunch pro team skates under LED lights. “They make the arena brighter. It’s easier to see the puck,” says defenseman Joey Mormina. “The fun light show that follows goals adds energy for the crowd and players.” LED lighting provides improved clarity in TV transmissions and sports action photos and doesn’t create soft spots on the ice, like traditional lights. “Utica and Binghamton teams switched to LED after playing in our arena,” comments Jim Sarosy, chief operating offi cer for the Crunch.
Water “The Crunch is the fi rst pro hockey team to skate on recycled rainwater,” Sarosy adds. “It’s collected from the roof, stored in three central reservoirs in the basement and pumped into the Zamboni machine for resurfacing the ice.” The practice also diverts rainwater from overworked sewer systems. The fi rst pro football stadium to earn a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certifi cation, the San Francisco
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