Sports

In recent years, sports organizations have made a more concerted effort toward sustainability and green living in response to economic crisis, consumer interest, and unstable energy costs. A 2008 survey found that about three-quarters of professional sports teams were implementing, developing, or actively planning a sustainability plan for their team and/or stadium. Both Chicago and Tokyo included comprehensive sustainability plans in their unsuccessful bids to host the 2016 Olympics, further demonstrating the growing interest in sustainability in the sporting and athletic world. One especially intriguing part of Chicago's plan was to recycle stadium seats, after the close of the Olympics, into wheelchair seats—a plan that could certainly be adopted by other parts of the sporting world.

As of 2009, the NBA's Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat, baseball's Washington Nationals, and hockey's Atlanta Thrashers became the first four professional teams to play in LEED-certified venues. Shown here is the Miami Heat's downtown Miami venue, the American Airlines Arena

Source: Marc Averette/Wikipedia

As of 2009, the National Basketball Association teams the Miami Heat and the Atlanta Hawks, the Major League Baseball team the Washington Nationals, and the National Hockey League team the Atlanta Thrashers became the first four professional sports teams to play in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified venues. The LEED Green Building Rating System was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit organization, in 1998; LEED standards go above and beyond mandatory building [Page 417]codes, emphasizing a healthy working environment (avoiding “sick building syndrome”), energy efficiency, and sustainable construction practices. One criticism of LEED is that, although focusing on energy efficiency, it comes at the problem from a fossil-fuels perspective, with too little encouragement for alternative energy sources.

For instance, these venues use compact fluorescent lightbulbs and water-conservation methods to cut down on the typically massive utility bills ($3 million a year in the case of Miami's American Airlines Arena) associated with operating a sports stadium. Atlanta's Philips Arena also uses carpeting made of recycled materials.

From the start of spring training in the 2008 season, Major League Baseball has been advising its 30 teams, in collaboration with the Natural Resources Defense Council, on environmental stewardship and sustainable resource management, with each team being asked to develop a plan with clearly defined goals for reducing waste and achieving greater sustainability and energy efficiency. Beginning with the 2010 season, teams will issue regular sustainability reports to track their progress.

The National Football League (NFL) environmental program has no current plans to involve the individual teams. Instead, it aims to offset the impacts of the Super Bowl, the NFL Kickoff, and the Pro Bowl—events with huge attendance and equally huge waste and resources usage. The NFL works with the host cities of these events on carbon offsets, use of local renewable energy capabilities when possible, and recycling of as much waste as possible. The Philadelphia Eagles have led the way in green sports, actively improving the sustainability of their stadium and training facilities since 2003, including the use of solar energy and even the recycling of cooking fat to make biodiesel. In 2005, Philadelphia hosted the first carbon-neutral NFL game and remains ahead of the curve in sustainable sports.

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