It’s finally here! After seven months of baited anticipation ... tempting teases about the good, the bad and the ugly of all that it is … the NFL is back! And I know more than wondering if Vick will get reinstated (after three weeks and with the EAGLES!), the Steelers will repeat (yes!), the Lions go another entire season without a win, and Romo and Simpson find true love … the question that has really been on your mind is … how eco-friendly is my stadium?
As there are many different game plans for winning, there are also an impressive array of ways stadiums are going about becoming and remaining eco-friendly. Some stadiums are better at winning but that doesn’t mean they lead the pack on being eco-friendly.
Top 5 Venues:
- Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions
While Ford Field can’t claim the prestige of consecutive winning seasons (yet), you can be proud that the venue is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified. The facility’s construction incorporates about 750,000 square feet of the old JL Hudson Store’s warehouse and 20 million pounds of recycled steel. Recycled glass was mixed into the terrazzo floors on the club and suite levels. Portions of the parking lot used recycled rubber. Floors in the suites and elevator foyers are made of bamboo, a fast-growing, renewable wood. The stadium is also outfitted with numerous energy-saving features as well as windows strategically placed to use less lighting.
- Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles
Down the road, the Eagles decided to display their environmentally friendly tag by going green in 2003. Their GO GREEN campaign includes tickets and programs printed on recycled paper, approximately 40 tons of it every year, while also boasting frothy beverages served in corn-based material that disintegrates in just 50 days (so drink up Eagles fans!). The team powers its facilities with clean energy, uses corn-plastic dishes and utensils, and encourages fans to offset their game-day travel. The Eagles organization has estimated that since they started their GO GREEN project 150 tons of materials have been recycled. Brotherly love indeed.
- Qualcomm Stadium, home of the San Diego Chargers
The San Diego team has been recycling for almost 18 years and has donated its sod to local YMCAs and Boys and Girls Clubs of America to use on their playing fields. There are 350 94-gallon recycling bins are in the tailgating area and a partnership with a local nonprofit ensures recyclables are collected inside.
- New Meadowlands Stadium, home of the New York Giants and Jets
While it is very unlikely to find the Jets and the Giants teaming up soon … they partnered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the construction of their new stadium. This alliance committed to cutting the stadium’s annual water use by 25 percent while simultaneously increasing total recycling by 25 percent. During construction and the first year of operations, the stadium stands to save the equivalent of 1.68 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. That’s equal to keeping more than 300,000 cars off the road for a whole year or the emissions from energy needed to power 150,000 American homes for one year. In the city that never sleeps, the stadium that seats 80,000 people also includes seats made from partially-recycled plastic and scrap iron; and provisions for mass transit options for the faithful.
- San Francisco 49ers New Stadium
The stadium, scheduled to open in 2014, will include solar panels and a green roof in the new venue, Santa Clara. Funding is an ongoing problem as economic pitfalls are delaying plans and the stadium will likely be put to a city vote. The facility will also incorporate the use of recycled water and a program to have more than a quarter of fans arrive on public transportation.
Now if you find your favorite team isn’t complying with LEED or EPA standards, if you look around the stadium and cannot discern any eco-friendly initiatives … then it’s up to you to run with the ball. How did you get to the game? … Mass transit, car pool, was it energy efficient? Are you being a road warrior in the hybrid full of friends and fans or that gas guzzler with just you and your pride? What are you using for your tailgating festivities … anything recyclable? What are you cooking on and what are you cooking. And what are you wearing?
If you do one thing different to make yourself eco-friendly and your tailgating mates follow your lead. Be aware of what you and your stadium are doing to preserve our environment. Look for that recycle bin … USE IT! This season root, root, root for the home team by making your surroundings cleaner, energy efficient and a winner.
