A Reason to Root for New Jersey

If you've followed this blog at all, you know how I go on and on about how important collaboration is when telling your sustainability story. It forces a brand to think carefully about the company it keeps and reminds us all that we no longer can afford to think (or do) in isolation. I have highlighted some of our favorite initiatives, brands and partners here on this blog, including the Philadelphia Eagles' first-ever greening of a sports franchise. So I thought it was time to check in on the New Jersey Nets' efforts as the first NBA team to "go green" (don't tell the Boston Celtics). I was thrilled to see things catching on:

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6624383.html

Sports teams are huge environmental impactors. Think about the jets flying the teams around the country, the fans driving to the games, the electricity to power the huge stadiums and arenas, the plastic bottles thrown out (or in Philly's case, occasionally at the players). So it's good to see the Nets doing its part. And good to see them collaborate with some credible partners: Planet Green, National Grid, Carbon Neutral, GOOD Magazine.

The netsgogreen.com website was launched earlier this year and has some interesting facts, figures and "how to" tips for fans (although tips on a better free throw might be more appropriate and helpful). It also outlines the carbon credit programs it has supported to offset its carbon load. What I don't see are updated reports on what and how they are doing to reduce their carbon load. Now that would be real NBA leadership.

The outcome is sure to be, ahem, a slam dunk for all involved and will hopefully lead to more teams and leagues taking a hard look at their entire operations.

The Sport of Sustainability

Few things in life bring people together like sporting events. And recently, sustainability has been getting into the game. The Olympics, U.S. Open Tennis. Even the sport of politics, with the Democratic Convention. Sports teams and events are getting greener.

One of the first—and best known—is the Philadelphia Eagles. Its stadium is the benchmark for green arenas, with sophisticated energy and waste reduction systems. The NFL team has also made it their mission, adopting a forest to off-set the inevitable carbon emitted by flying around big guys on big planes for every Sunday.

Of course, even the Eagles can get, um, a bit carried away....

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paige-donner/greening-hollywood-nfl-ea_b_115138.html

Here's what a few others are doing:

Major League Baseball. MLB partnered with the NRDC to launch the "Team Greening Program" which promote sustainability across all of the teams. This season, you can expect to see robust recycling programs at the stadiums, solar-powered scoreboards, as well as material and information in the stadiums to encourage fans to go green.

http://www.nrdc.org/media/2008/080317.asp

Motorsport Racing. Even the worst of the gas-guzzlers have caught on to the green movement, as race cars like the Corvette Z06 E85 (as in Ethanol E85). In the 2009 Dakar Rally, keep a look out for the Kenya Kwanza team of Glen Edmunds, who will be running a sustainable bio-diesel to raise awareness of climate change.

http://www.ewire.com/display.cfm/Wire_ID/4965

New Jersey Nets. A slam dunk-- the Nets are way ahead in the green game. They are the first carbon-neutral team in the NBA. Our favorite part of the site, check out the video on the right hand side. It features one of the official team dancers shares the Nets visions with fans.

http://netsgogreen.com/

Shea Stadium. And in our hometown, New York's new stadium is going green.

http://www.observer.com/2008/new-shea-stadium-goes-green-what-does-it-mean

With tens of thousands of people attending these events every day, the impact is substantial. Of course, getting to the new "green stadiums" is usually the least sustainable part of the event.