Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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Greening Up Professional Sports From the Editors of Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: What’s being done to “green up” professional sports? I know that the last two Olympic Games both made some effort, but are there others? — Rob Avandic, Chicago, IL The last two Olympics were indeed greener than any before, but environmental awareness isn’t limited to the realm of in- ternational amateur competition. In fact, in just the last few years all of the major professional North American sports leagues have made strides in greening their operations. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has helped blaze the trail through its “Greening the Games” ini- tiative. Since 2003, when the National Football League’s (NFL) Philadelphia Eagles turned to NRDC for help saving energy and reducing waste, NRDC has helped dozens of pro teams evaluate their environmental impacts and make changes. Today the Eagles obtain all of their energy at Lincoln Field from wind power, pour fans’ beverages in biodegradable corn-based plastic cups, power their scoreboard with solar panels and have reduced electricity use overall by a third. The NFL itself has also jumped on the bandwagon, implementing various green initiatives at the Super Bowl, the Pro Bowl and other big events. In 2008, NRDC teamed up with Major League Baseball (MLB) to first green the All Star Game and, the following year, the World Series. Subsequently, NRDC assessed each team’s environmental footprint and made recommendations for improving it. Several teams have gone on to build or refurbish their stadiums with sustainability in mind. Boston’s Fenway Park, Atlanta’s Turner Field, Washington, DC’s Nationals Park, and San Francisco’s AT&T Park all get high marks for pro- environment features and operations. In 2008, NRDC began working with the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) to green its signature event, the U.S. Open. For one, this led to a move to 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper for tournament programs. And an environmental review of all operations at the National Tennis Center in Queens, New York led to a number of green improvements, including the switch to 90 percent post-consumer recycled paper for some 2.4 million napkins and a move to wind turbines for the tournament’s electricity. The National Basketball Association (NBA) jumped on the NRDC sports band- wagon in 2009, working with the group to organize its first annual Green Week in early April whereby the entire league works in concert to generate environmental awareness and funding for related causes. As part of the festivities, which took place in 2010 as well and will happen again in April 2011, each NBA team hosted community service events including tree plantings, recycling drives and park clean-up days. NRDC got the National Hockey League (NHL) in on the act as well, helping to green the Stanley Cup Finals and working with individual teams as it did with baseball and football. In announcing the launch of the NHL Green program, league commissioner Gary Bettman commented that it’s only fitting for professional ice hockey to care about staving off global warming: “Most of our players learned to skate on outdoor rinks. For that magnificent tradition to continue through future generations we need winter weather — and as a league we are uniquely positioned to promote that message.” CONTACTS: NRDC, www.nrdc.org/greenbusiness/guides/sports/; MLB Team Greening Program, mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/community/team_green- ing.jsp; NBA Green, www.nba.com/green; NHL Green, www.nhl.com/ice/even- thome.htm?location=/nhlgreen; USTA, www.usta.com. SEND YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS TO: arthTalk®, c/o E – The environmental magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; earthtalk@ emagazine.com. E is a nonprofit publication. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/sub- scribe; Request a Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial 22 UCW JAN. 26 - FEB. 1, 2011 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM JANUARY 30• CAPE FEAR HOG RIDE to Grandson’s in Hope Mills. Depart from the BP Gas Station on Bragg Boulevard & Sycamore Dairy at 10:00 a.m. unless otherwise indicated. www.cfhog. com/calendar for more info. FEBRUARY 12 • SWEETHEARTS DANCE at Legends. 4624 Bragg Blvd. Call 887-2364 for more info. FEBRUARY 26 •CANCER RUN at Legends. 4624 Bragg Blvd. Call 887-2364 for more info. FEBRUARY 26 • POLAR BEAR RUN with the Pittsboro COA. Registration 11:00 - 11:45 a.m. Ride leaves at 12 p.m.. Door prizes and 50/50 drawing. Rain date March 5. For more information contact Mike @ 919-363-8662. PATRIOT GUARD RIDERS The Patriot Guard Riders is a diverse group of patriots from every state that come together to honor fallen soldiers at funeral services across the country. Visit www.patriotguard.org for more info. TUESDAYS BIKE NIGHT at Chili’s Grill and Bar in Southern Pines. Happy hour, drink and food specials. All bikes welcome. 4 p.m. to close. WEDNESDAYS BIKE NIGHT at Applebee’s, Cotton Square, Fayetteville, drink and food specials beginning at 7 p.m. All bikes welcome. Sweethearts Dance Feb. 12th Super Bowl Party Prizes, $7 Steak Dinner BIG SCREEN TV For more information call LEGENDS at 4624 BRAGG BLVD.