Sustainable Athletics?

Courtesy of Author

As we progress into the month of March I find myself already longing for some good ole' SEC Football (GO GATORS!). Yeah, yeah I know, the Orange and Blue game will be here soon enough but let's face it, it's just not the same as the real thing: tailgating, screaming fans, Pride of the Sunshine, and sustainability? Wait, what?

The University of Florida Gators had their first carbon neutral football game in 2007, following with their first carbon neutral home football season in 2008, and the first carbon neutral athletics program in 2009.UF has partnered with Neutral Gator to generate local offset credits through community development projects in low-income households and natural area restorations for the approximately 2,500 ton carbon footprint of the Gator athletic programs. A carbon offset represents the reduction of 1 metric ton of carbon dioxide or its equivalent in other greenhouse gases. Another way that UF is being sustainable was in the construction and design of the South Endzone of Florida Field which is currently LEED Platinum. Seeing all that UF has done to make their athletic program more sustainable got me to thinking about what other athletic facilities may be doing.

While I hate to even applaud The Ohio State University football program for their sustainability efforts because of Urban Liar, they were able to accomplish a major feat in 2012 when they were able to prevent 87% of the waste created by the football stadium from going into the landfill by recycling and composting efforts, with a season high of 98.2%. They attribute their success to educating the public, marketing efforts, and having people to assist the public in making sure their trash was disposed of responsibly.

Courtesy of Switchboard.nrdc.org

Ever since coming to college I haven't really been interested in NFL football games, but some notable sustainable features in NFL stadiums include: 1,350 solar panels around Metlife Stadium (Jets), 3,000 solar panels around Gilette Stadium (Patriots), and 8,000 solar panels, as well as, electric vehicle charging stations at FedEx Field (Redskins). I'm not a Redskins fan but hey, if I was it might be worth it to get an electric vehicle just for the premium tailgating location!

Wind Turbine (Courtesy of Cleantechnica)

Sustainable efforts in Major League Baseball (MLB) include: helical wind turbines for the Cleveland Indians, a LEED retractable roof for Brewers Miller Park, and diverting 61% of stadium waste by recycling for the Pittsburgh Pirates. When I searched for a picture of the Indian's wind turbine I wasn't expecting such a neat looking structure. When I searched for my favorite baseball team's sustainability efforts (Go Rays!), I found out that the Tampa Bay Rays promote carpooling by offering free parking (I already knew this, hence why I always ride with friends to games when I am home.), have increased recycling efforts by 50%, and use corn-oil based beverage cups and biodegradable beverage cups in concessions. In addition, at their Spring Training facility in Charlotte County, they have an on-site recycling center and a 1,600 square foot educational green roof.

Courtesy of Flickr

It's great to see some of the sustainability efforts that athletic programs across the country are incorporating into their seasons. Hopefully, the years ahead will bring us many more sustainable athletic facilities in our communities. In the mean time just remember, when at the University of Florida, "Put it in the can, Gator Fan."