The Super Bowl is the biggest week of the year for the NFL. With such a big spotlight, comes big responsibilities and I wonder how responsible the NFL is when it comes to the environment. An article in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution by Sheila Poole helped highlight some of the NFL’s green efforts. Jack Groh is director of the NFL Environmental Program and he estimates that the Super Bowl will produce 60 tons of waste which doesn’t include items that can be repurposed or reused. The NFL and stadium managers have adopted a zero-waste mindset and we will be eager to see how successful they are with regards to how they handle all this trash. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is the first professional sports stadium to achieve a Platinum LEED designation and can power 23 professional sports games using renewable energy from solar panels. The stadium uses compostable cutlery, straws and service ware so fans only have to recycle plastic/aluminum items. Numerous local nonprofit organizations will help to collect and distribute everything from food to building materials to help minimize waste. I hope all organizations with similar events can make a similar effort and produce successful results to protect our environment. Let’s Do This!
–Colin