By Lew Blaustein, GreenSportsBlog

Green Sports Alliance Summits past have largely kept climate change in the background.

That changed, hopefully forever, as the climate crisis percolated throughout the two days of the 2019 Summit that ended Thursday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

And, in a Green Sports Alliance Summit main stage first, several speakers went beyond urging the sports world to take on climate change, making the powerful case for leagues, teams and athletes to make the needed connections between social justice and environmental (or climate) justice.

?Climate change is about equity and inclusiveness. The problem affects everyone.?

? Jim Kenney, Mayor of Philadelphia

?Everyone is responsible for climate change. It?s really human change.?

? Jason Twill, Founding Green Sports Alliance Director

?We found that kids in certain Philadelphia zip codes weren?t going outside because of fear of violence, fear of asthma. The best tool to predict health disparities is zip code.?

? Jerome Shabazz, Executive Director, Overbrook Environmental Association

?It?s hard to play basketball, it?s hard to breathe, when the air is polluted. Eighteen percent of Oakland kids have asthma. I?m one of those kids.?

? Nehemiah Vaughn, 19, Youth Ambassador, Green for All

Jim Kenney, Mayor of Philadelphia (Photo credit: Philly Voice)

These quotes, and many others like it, were uttered during the first two hours of the ninth Green Sports Alliance Summit. As someone who?s been to six of the last seven summits, I say it?s time for the Green-Sports movement and sports more broadly to take heed of these messages, acknowledge the fear and risks of going bigger and faster on climate as well as environmental-social justice?and go bigger and faster anyway.

IT?S PAST TIME

I get that the sports world would rather go slowly about climate change.

I get that the sports power brokers, from owners to media to sponsors, would, for the most part, avoid anything that smacks of politics.

Thing is, the Green-Sports movement, as well as the rest of humanity, does not have the luxury of time to dance around climate change any longer. The Alliance, at its eight previous summits, often did the climate change-avoidance cha-cha.

Given that humanity only has 12 years or less to decarbonize by 45 percent in order to avoid the most calamitous impacts of climate change, it was past time for the dance to end and the real talk ? and then action ? to commence.

So it was a much needed and unprecedented start to the 2019 Alliance Summit as presenters at Wednesday morning?s opening session spoke clearly and directly about the climate crisis. In addition to the quotes above, summiteers heard these messages before the first coffee break:

• Eagles President Don Smolenski, in his welcome to the summiteers, noted ?We generate more energy from clean sources than any other sports venue in North America. We take managing and reducing our climate impacts seriously.?
• Jason Twill, who followed Smolenski and Mayor Kenney on to the main stage shared, ?At the founding meeting of the Green Sports Alliance back in 2010, someone said ?we are in the first year of the final decade in which we can make a major impact on climate.? Now we?re at the end of that decade. Sustainable, to which many aspire, is not enough. Even restoring the planet is not enough. We need to get to a regenerative economy.?
• More Twill: ?In 2018, we passed ?Earth Overshoot Day? ? the day when humanity?s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year ? on August 1st. The US passed it on March 15, Canada on March 18. We need to from being ego-centric to eco-centric.?

Jason Twill (Photo credit: Jennifer Twill)

MOVING FORWARD ON ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE

If the attendees weren?t awake before these talks, surely they were wide eyed afterwards, even without the benefits of caffeine.

And that was a very good thing because ?Beyond The Ballpark: The Role of Sports in Environmental Justice Reform? was unlike anything an Alliance Summit had ever offered. Moderator Kunal Merchant, an Alliance board member and the co-founder of Lotus Advisory, led a panel that thoughtfully explored the underreported-on intersection of social justice and environmental (climate) justice.

Merchant, whose firm is consulting on the proposed new waterfront ballpark for the Oakland A?s, shared how environmental remediation and cleanup is central to the plan: ?The club will work to clean up the water, soil and waste, with the goal of improving the health and lives of the often marginalized people who have been living with the consequences of the environmental degradation of the area.?

Preliminary artist rendering for the proposed Oakland A?s ballpark near Jack London Square in Oakland. The project will be LEED Gold and reflect the A?s strong commitment to sustainable development and environmental justice (Credit: Oaklandballpark.com)

Recently retired former Eagles linebacker Connor Barwin has made building parks and safe spaces to play for kids in at-risk area the focus of his MTWB (Make The World Better) Foundation work ? they?re now on their fourth park in Philadelphia. When asked how to get more athletes involved in the climate and social-environmental justice fights, Barwin?s answer was simple: ?Corporate sponsors need to ask us!?

Ex-Philadelphia Eagles LB Connor Barwin (r) helped install solar panels atop the roof of this couple?s home in Cherry Hill, NJ in 2015. (Photo credit: NRG)

Mustafa Santiago Ali, VP of Environmental Justice at the National Wildlife Federation, talked about growing up in West Virginia, across the river from a coal plant. ?Some days, we would be playing outside, and when the wind blew in a certain direction, ?the fog? would come in,? recalled Santiago Ali. ?We didn?t know we were being impacted, but  some parts of the region have a 50 percent cancer rate?This is environmental INjustice. We need to get to environmental justice for frontline communities: people of color, indigenous people.?

Mustafa Santiago Ali (Photo credit: National Wildlife Federation)

The showstopper of the panel was the aforementioned Nehemiah Vaughn.

Asthma may have cut short his basketball dreams, but that didn?t stop Vaughn. Far from it. The engaging 19-year old pivoted to music, entering and winning a hip-hop contest by starring in this #FuelChange anthem, promoted by Green For All. Check it out:

Can the Green-Sports movement catalyze this energy and vision displayed in Wednesday morning?s session into meaningful, consistent action ofrom leagues, teams, media, athletes and more?

Watch this space.

MINNEAPOLIS TO HOST 2020 SUMMIT

Thursday morning?s session kicked off with the announcement from Green Sports Alliance Executive Director Roger McClendon that the organization?s 10th annual summit would be held at US Bank Stadium, the LEED Gold home of the Minnesota Vikings.

GreenSportsBlog is ecstatic about this news for two reasons:

1. Minneapolis, along with St. Paul, make up the Green-Sports-y-est metro area in the United States. In fact, GSB is in the midst of a four-part series on the Twin Cities? Green-Sports-y-ness. Click hereand here for the first two parts.
2. We urged the Green Sports Alliance to pick Minneapolis just this Tuesday! 

PHILLY SUMMIT NEWS & NOTES

Here are a few more nuggets and thoughts on the summit before closing the book on Philadelphia 2019:

• Another first for a GSA Summit: A conversation about carbon pricing and how it would benefit the sports business. Panelist Steve Hams, representing Citizens? Climate Lobby (CCL), shared the details of the bipartisan Energy Innovation & Carbon Dividend Act(EICDA) of 2019 bill currently making the rounds in the US House of Representatives.
  • It would place a price on carbon ($15/metric ton of carbon in year one and then rising $10/ton/year after that) at the point of extraction (mine, well) or the border. The fees raised would not go to the federal treasury. Rather, they would be paid out as a dividend to households in the form of a monthly direct deposit. It?s progressive: Independent analyses estimate that the lowest 66 percent of American households on the income scale would earn more in dividends than they would pay out in higher prices due to the fees. And it?s revenue neutral in that it doesn?t add to the size of government, which should appeal to conservatives.
  • According to Hams, businesses involved in sports, including the small and medium size companies who sell to venues and teams ? many of whom were exhibitors at the summit ? should love this policy: ?Most fans will have more money in their pockets because of this policy, which means more money to spend on tickets. Plus the policy will accelerate the pace of reducing emissions and cleaning up our environment, which will be good for all sports.?
  • Full disclosure: The discussion on carbon pricing took place during a panel, ?Sports, Carbon, & Climate,? moderated by yours truly. And I am a CCL volunteer.
• Tuesday was Stadium Tour Day. Three venues in four hours. This is only possible in Philadelphia because Lincoln Financial Field (Eagles), Citizens? Bank Park (Phillies) and Wells Fargo Center (76ers and Flyers) are all in the same complex.
  • The Eagles are, by far, the green leader: Massive solar installations on the stadium?s east wall and in the parking lot, LEED Gold, ISO 20121 certified and more.
  • The Phillies are doing a lot right: An LED lighting retrofit that has reduced energy use by 25 percent, an advanced water pump and HVAC monitoring system, and a branded ?Red Goes Green? program to communicate with fans. But they aren?t measuring their overall carbon footprint yet. A big opportunity missed, it says here, because measuring it would uncover more energy and dollar savings.
  • Wells Fargo Center is in the midst of huge renovation ? Transformation 2020 ? with energy efficiency a part of the mix. That said, I did not get the sense that the environment is central part of the arena?s DNA. Comcast, which owns the facility is not looking to go for LEED certification.

Citizens? Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies (Photo credit: Visit Philly)

• Substantive discussions on climate ruled the day on Thursday. ?The Role of Sport in Civic Engagement & Public Policy,? was a wonkish discussion of how:
  • Sports can marshal the favorable market forces in the renewable energy, EV and energy storage sectors
  • Brands can engage fans and athletes for a greater purpose, like the climate fight, and,
  • The sports world can encourage fans to vote.
  • The wonkishness was not surprising given the panel lineup of former Obama administration members. Moderator Cyrus Wadia worked in the Obama White House, as did panelists Kyle Lierman, CEO of When We All Vote (perennial NBA All Star Chris Paul of the Houston Rockets is involved) and Charlie Gay, who worked in 44?s Department of Energy. And while Perfecto (that?s his real name) Sanchez did not work in the Obama Administration, he did do two tours of duty with the Army in Iraq and his company, JourneyOne, helps align corporate mission with employee purpose in order move companies achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Cyrus Wadia (Photo credit: Unreasonable Group)

Finally, I came away from the Summit with one big thing from Thursday?s last session, ?Speaking Science: Making Climate Change & Sustainability Relevant to Fans.?

Panelist Eric Fine, Project Manager of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, shared these data from a 2018 survey of Americans that divided us into six groups regarding our attitudes on climate. Almost 60 percent are alarmed or concerned. Another 17 percent are cautious with 5 percent disengaged. Another 9 percent are doubtful and only 9 percent are dismissive.

The alarmed/concerned number was higher than I expected, with the doubtful/dismissive number being significantly lower.

So what was that one big thing?

Public attitudes are moving towards the Green-Sports movement so teams, leagues and more have the space now to be bolder than they?ve ever been. 

There will be some blow back. There will be instances where ?go slow? wins the day. And there will, understandably, be disagreements on what language to use.

But the movement needs push through self-imposed brakes whenever possible and go forward faster and more consistently on climate and environmental-social justice than it has before.

Because 2030 will be here sooner than we think.

But before 2030 comes 2020, so see you in Minneapolis next June.

Read the full article here.

The post Green Sports Alliance Summit ?Goes There? on Climate Change & Environmental Justice; Minneapolis Named 2020 Host appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By AEG Corporate News

AEG’s Vice President of Energy and Environment John Marler Named to Green Sports Alliance Board of Directors

LOS ANGELES (June 19, 2019) ? AEG, the world leading sports and live entertainment company announced today that its vice president of energy and environment, John Marler, will join the board of directors of the Green Sports Alliance (GSA). The Green Sports Alliance is the leader in leveraging the market influence of sports to promote environmentally sustainable practices.

?I am honored to represent AEG, a founding partner of the Green Sports Alliance, as a member of the board to further GSA?s mission of leveraging the power of sports to protect the environment,? said Marler. ?I look forward to working with the other distinguished directors to further the impact of sustainable practices within the sports industry to address global environmental issues.?

Under Marler?s leadership, AEG recently adopted a new greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goal to achieve zero emissions by 2050, based on the 2018 Global Warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius report from the United Nations? Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The company also recently pledged its support to the United Nation?s Sports for Climate Action Framework through its various sports entities: LA Kings, LA Galaxy, Eisbären Berlin and Ontario Reign, Amgen Tour of California ? California?s premiere bike race on the UCI World Tour and USA Cycling Professional Tour ? and AEG Rugby.

?John brings a wealth of experience from a large international portfolio of industry leading sports and entertainment venues and we are thrilled to have him as the newest member of our Board,? said Roger McClendon, Executive Director of the Green Sports Alliance. ?From the very beginning, AEG has been a strong supporter of the Green Sports Alliance and industry leader in establishing groundbreaking sustainability initiatives and we look forward to working together to advance our industry and use the cultural and market influence of sports to drive a more prosperous and sustainable future.?

In his current role as vice president of energy and environment, Marler oversees AEG?s industry-leading corporate sustainability program, AEG 1EARTH, as well as AEG Energy Services, AEG?s corporate energy management program. Prior to joining AEG in 2013, Marler focused on renewable and alternative energy contracts and smart grid research and development at Southern California Edison. Prior to joining the Edison team, Marler practiced law for four years as an attorney in New York, where he focused on commercial litigation and business transactions. He currently serves on the board of directors of GRID Alternatives Greater Los Angeles.

About the Green Sports Alliance

The Green Sports Alliance leverages the cultural and market influence of sports to promote healthy, sustainable communities where people live and play. The Alliance inspires sports leagues, teams, venues, their partners and millions of fans to embrace renewable energy, healthy food, recycling, water efficiency, safer chemicals and other environmentally preferable practices. Alliance members represent nearly 400 sports teams and venues from 20 sports leagues in 14 countries.

About AEG

Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, AEG is the world?s leading sports and live entertainment company. With offices on five continents, AEG operates in the following business segments: AEG Facilities, which is affiliated with or owns, manages or consults with more than 150 preeminent arenas, stadiums, theaters, clubs and convention centers around the world including The O2 Arena, the Sprint Center and the Mercedes-Benz Arenas;   AEG Presents, which is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performances, including producing and promoting global and regional concert tours, music and special events and world-renowned festivals; AEG Real Estate, which develops world-class venues, as well as major sports and entertainment districts like STAPLES Center and L.A. LIVE; AEG Sports, which is the world?s largest operator of sports franchises and high-profile sporting events;  and AEG Global Partnerships, which oversees worldwide sales and servicing of sponsorships including naming rights, premium seating and other strategic partnerships. Through its worldwide network of venues, portfolio of powerful sports and music brands, AXS.com ticketing platform, AXS cable television channel and its integrated entertainment districts, AEG entertains more than 100 million guests annually. More information about AEG can be found at www.aegworldwide.com.

Read the full article here.

Media Contact

Allegra Batista

AEG

abatista@aegworldwide.com

213-763-7738

The post AEG’s Vice President of Energy and Environment John Marler Named to Green Sports Alliance Board of Directors appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By Upcyclers Network

Closing the Material Loop features over 15 case studies contributed by corporate, non-profit, and public sector leaders who understand the economic and environmental imperative to utilizing waste. By shining a spotlight on organizations and partnerships that have created successful programs and business models to recover and reuse materials, the report aims to inspire more communities and businesses to take a proactive role in uncovering the value within their waste.

Featured public sector and non-profit organizations included in the report are Cal Recycle, the City of Austin, the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment, Kent County, the City of Phoenix, the Southeast Recycling Development Council, Lonely Whale, NextWave, the Resource Solutions Innovation Network, and the US Business Council for Sustainable Development.

Featured private sector organizations included in the report are Aquafil, the Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Best Buy, Circular Solutions Advisors, Dell, Ecoculture Manufacturing Corp, Ecologic Brands, ECOR, ERI, HP, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Oxnard Pallet Company, UNIFI, Up Cycle it Now, and The Super Bowl.

Read the full article here.

Download the Report here.

The post Closing the Material Loop – How Innovators from the Public and Private Sector are Creating Value from Waste appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By Warriors News

WARRIORS AND CHASE CENTER SIGN UN SPORTS FOR CLIMATE ACTION INITIATIVE 

Franchise Becomes the First NBA Team to Commit to the UN?s Climate Change Initiative Aimed at Sports Organizations

SAN FRANCISCO, CA ? The back-to-back NBA Champion Golden State Warriors and Chase Center, the Warriors new 18,064-seat privately financed sports and entertainment arena in San Francisco?s Mission Bay neighborhood, today announced they have become the first NBA team to sign the UN Sports for Climate Action Initiative to show their commitment to combating global climate change. This program aims to support and guide sports organizations in achieving global climate change goals in accordance with the Paris Agreement, whose goal is to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

The UN Sports for Climate Action Initiative was formed with the objectives of achieving a clear trajectory for the global sports community to combat climate change and using sports as a unifying tool to drive climate awareness and action among global citizens. By signing the UN Sports for Climate Action Initiative, the Warriors and Chase Center are committing to the program?s five principles to:

• Undertake systematic efforts to promote greater environmental responsibility
• Reduce overall climate impact
• Educate for climate action
• Promote sustainable and responsible consumption
• Advocate for climate action through communication

?We know that climate change is a global concern that needs to be addressed immediately and realize the impact that we and the global sports community can have on combating it,? said Chase Center General Manager Kim Stone. ?As we put the finishing touches on Chase Center and get ready for the opening of the arena, sustainability is going to be at the core focus of everything we do, from business operations to how we put on games and events.?

The Warriors and Chase Center join a number of signatories in the global sports community, including the International Olympic Committee, International Federation of Association Football and Rugby World Cup 2021.

For more information on Chase Center please visit chasecenter.com.

About Chase Center

Chase Center, an 18,064-seat sports and entertainment arena set to open in September of 2019, will anchor Thrive City, the multipurpose, privately financed complex in San Francisco?s Mission Bay neighborhood consisting of 3.2 acres of publicly accessible plazas and open space that are part of a larger mixed-use development including two office buildings and dozens of unique restaurant and retail locations. Chase Center will play host to games featuring the six-time NBA Champion Golden State Warriors, concerts, cultural events, family shows and more, totaling nearly 200 events per year. Thrive City, the surrounding district of Chase Center, will be a community gathering space providing a slate of year-round health and wellness programming, including Get Fit clinics, yoga sessions, farmer?s markets, ice skating and much more.

CONTACT:

Raymond Ridder (510) 986-5384

Lisa Goodwin (510) 986-2253

Read the full article here.

The post Warriors and Chase Center Sign UN Sports for Climate Action Initiative appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By World Surf League Press Room

WSL PURE Sets New Standard Designed to Protect Environment Amid Climate Crisis

Photo credit: WSL/Ed Sloane

LOS ANGELES, Calif./USA (Tuesday, June 4, 2019) – The World Surf League (WSL) today announced a series of sustainability commitments that set a new standard for global professional sports. These commitments – designed to inspire, educate and empower ocean lovers while addressing critical environmental issues – apply to all WSL Championship Tour and Big Wave Tour events and include:

1. Becoming carbon neutral globally by the end of 2019;
2. Eliminating single-serve plastics by the end of 2019; and
3. Leaving each place better than it was found.

This effort builds on the WSL’s existing ocean conservation efforts, including WSL PURE, its non-profit arm, which stands for Protecting Understanding and Respecting the Environment. As part of its announcement today, the WSL is also launching a global marketing campaign and inviting members of the ocean community to make the PURE pledge to “Stop Trashing Waves” and join a worldwide paddle out on June 15 in honor of International Surfing Day, founded by the Surfrider Foundation.

“The WSL is incredibly proud to break new ground in sports in the urgent battle against climate change and ocean pollution,” said WSL CEO Sophie Goldschmidt. “We believe it’s our responsibility to be ?all in’ with our efforts to protect the ocean and beaches amid the devastating climate crisis we all face. We invite everyone who cares about the ocean to join us.”

Some facts that have propelled the WSL to make these commitments:

• Because of increased global temperatures, the ocean has absorbed more than 90 percent of the excess heat in the atmosphere, which causes more frequent and intense storms and dangerously rising sea levels.
• Approximately 30 percent of the carbon in the atmosphere is absorbed by the ocean, causing acidification that harms coral reefs and other marine life.
• Plastics break down into small microparticles that are ingested by marine life, ultimately entering the food we eat and water we drink.

The specifics of the WSL commitments include:

Becoming carbon neutral globally by the end of 2019, including at WSL Championship Tour and Big Wave Tour events:

• The WSL is offsetting its carbon footprint by investing in and supporting projects such as REDD+ (reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation) and VCS (Verified Carbon Standard) certified carbon offset projects that have a focus on restoring and protecting natural ecosystems and renewable energy ecosystems and are based in each of the WSL’s regions. For example:
• In Asia Pacific: The Katingan Mentaya project in Borneo is a REDD+ peat swamp forest that fights deforestation from mining and palm oil plantations. VCS and Triple Gold Certified project recognized for its positive social impacts (34 communities; 45k people) and biodiversity (5 Critically Endangered, 8 Endangered, and 31 Vulnerable species).
• In South America: The Santa Vitoria do Palmar and Chui wind farm in Brazil (a United Nations Clean Development Mechanism Certified Emission Reduction project) which powers 400,000 homes, and the ceramic factories of Argibem, São Sebastião, and Vulcão which run on renewable biomass instead of native timber from endangered and unique Brazilian ecosystems, and also has positive social impacts in the community schools.
• In Africa: The Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust located in Kenya, which supports the Chyulu Hills REDD+ project to promote climate change mitigation and adaptation, restores biodiversity and creates alternative livelihoods.
• In North America: Almost 24,000 acres of protected Redwood forest protected from traditional logging to store carbon and safeguard endangered wildlife (Coho Salmon and Northern Spotted Owl) in the coastal watersheds of the Garcia River Forests in Mendocino County.
• The WSL will also reduce its carbon footprint by regionalizing its operation, limiting non-essential travel and implementing policies to reduce carbon emissions at its offices.
• The WSL carbon offset program is calculated and curated in partnership with STOKE (Sustainable Tourism & Outdoors Kit for Evaluation), a certification organization with standards built specifically for surf and mountain tourism operators, destinations, and affiliated events.

Eliminating single-serve plastics from WSL Championship Tour and Big Wave Tour events by the end of 2019:

• The WSL is specifically targeting items related to food-service like bottled beverages, cutlery, and cups, as these single-serve items are often not recyclable.
• The WSL already provides clean drinking water stations for fans to refill their bottles and choose compostable materials where possible for food service.

Leaving each WSL Championship Tour and Big Wave Tour stop better than it was found:

• The WSL is reducing its event footprint and developing a financial grant program to commit money to local projects and non-profits that are working to safeguard our coasts and protect these habitats.

“So stoked that the WSL is setting this amazing example, and I hope all other professional sports follow their lead – and soon!” said Dr. Ayana Johnson, marine biologist and founder of Ocean Collectiv and Urban Ocean Lab. “Where governments fail to lead, business can and should step all the way up to address our intertwined climate and biodiversity crises.”

“I think it’s a great stance and an important message to send to people around the world,” said 11-time WSL Champion Kelly Slater. “The ocean is vital to everyone, for food, for oxygen and especially to us surfers. I think everyone should make it their priority to care about this issue and make changes in their lives to help.”

As part of the commitment, the WSL is launching a multi-faceted digital and print marketing campaign, titled “Stop Trashing Waves.” Creative features pro surfers Conner Coffin, Filipe Toledo, Carissa Moore, Coco Ho, Tatiana Weston Webb, Paige Alms, Greg Long, Kai Lenny, and Bianca Valenti and will appear across social media and other platforms.

“In the sport of surfing and beyond, it’s imperative that we all act immediately,” said Reece Pacheco, WSL SVP Ocean Responsibility and Executive Director, WSL PURE. “Looking ahead, we plan to inspire more and more people to join us in reducing and offsetting their emissions through our upcoming carbon calculator and offset platform.”

More information about the WSL commitments and tips for the general public, as well as details and locations for paddle outs, can be found at WSLPURE.org.

About the #StopTrashingWaves Pledge 
The WSL wants to inspire everyone to take a pledge to Stop Trashing Waves. The WSL is backing up the pledge with new initiatives centered around reducing our carbon footprint, refusing single-serve plastics, and leaving every coastline better than it was found.

To make incredible waves of impact, the WSL is asking everyone to make their own commitment and pledge to #stoptrashingwaves.

No action is too small. Small changes collectively can make big waves to protect our ocean and planet.

Learn more and make the pledge at wslpure.org

About WSL PURE
PURE stands for Protecting, Understanding, and Respecting the Environment, and is the non-profit arm of the WSL. Founded in 2016, WSL PURE is on a mission to inspire, educate, and empower ocean protection, starting with the global surf community. WSL PURE is specifically focused on the climate crisis, plastic pollution, and coastal ruin.

PURE leverages the WSL’s incredible platform to shine a light on the people making a difference — environmentalists, athletes, advocacy organizations, communities, individuals — and collaborates with world-class, non-profit partners including: Bye Bye Plastic Bags, Lonely Whale, Bloomberg Philanthropies, NRDC, North Shore Community Land Trust, Surfrider Foundation, Surfrider Foundation Europe, Take 3 For The Sea, Save The Waves Coalition, Surfers Against Sewage, Sustainable Coastlines HI, Kokua Hawaii Foundation, Santa Barbara Channel Keeper, 5 Gyres Institute and The Center for Climate and Life at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

For more information, please visit wslpure.org

About STOKE
STOKE (Sustainable Tourism & Outdoors Kit for Evaluation), a California Social Purpose Corporation, is the world’s first sustainability certification body with standards built specifically for surf and mountain tourism operators, destinations, and affiliated events. Through its network of independent evaluators, STOKE verifies the legitimacy of sustainability claims and provides transparency for the outdoor community through its certification programs-STOKE Surf, STOKE Snow, and STOKE Events. Since 2013, STOKE has grown to 27 members in 11 countries across all of its certification programs.

Read the full press release here.

The post The World Surf League Leads the Way for Global Professional Sports by Becoming Carbon Neutral and Eliminating Single-Serve Plastics appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By Matthew Campelli, The Sustainability Report

Procter & Gamble to produce the units after collecting 45 tonnes of household waste from the Japanese public

The post Tokyo 2020 Medallists to Ascend Podium Made from Recycled Plastic appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By Niels de Fraguier, The Sustainability Report

Sport can only tackle issues like climate change if young professionals are trusted to create projects, develop partnerships and frame new strategies, says Niels de Fraguier

The post Youth Sports Leaders Should be at the Forefront of the Sustainability Revolution appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By New York Road Runners Careers

Apply here.

About the Department

The Strategy, Planning & Organization Operations (SP&OO) team works with each department across the organization to support the CEO and NYRR leadership in strategy formulation, growth plan execution, and project implementation. The team provides in-depth analytical support in evaluating existing operations and new business opportunities, and manages cross-functional project teams to execute the many action items/special projects that have been designed to help NYRR continue to reach its strategic objectives, mission and goals. 

About the Position

This role is responsible for driving the execution of NYRR?s organization-wide sustainability strategy. This is a highly collaborative role that requires exceptional skills in leadership, project management, and communication. The Manager, Environmental Sustainability will apply outstanding organizational skills and knowledge of sustainability best practices to significantly improve the sustainability of NYRR?s operations across: public spaces where NYRR operates races and events; RUNCENTER retail space near Columbus Circle; warehouse space; and office headquarters. In addition to implementing sustainable practices, this role will help to identify and prioritize innovative and impactful ideas to improve sustainability across all aspects of the organization. 

Job Responsibilities

• Drive the implementation of sustainable practices organization-wide
• Collaborate with all internal departments and relevant external partners to coordinate execution of new/improved sustainable operations
• Support development of organization-wide sustainability strategy, including long-term multi-phased plan that addresses product waste, energy use, and water use
• Identify innovative and impactful new ideas for sustainability at NYRR via market research, analysis of internal data, brainstorms with NYRR team members, and networking with other organizations
• Develop objectives and targets for measuring and directing progress; track progress against objectives and identify opportunities and obstacles to improvement
• Manage sustainability data collection, analysis and reporting
• Communicate status, next steps, and results of sustainability initiatives to NYRR leadership and organization-wide stakeholders
• Contribute to external reporting and communications
• Maintain a thorough knowledge of relevant market landscape insights, to keep NYRR informed of sustainability best practices, case studies, and new technologies/processes; identify takeaways for NYRR

Job Requirements: 

• Minimum undergraduate degree; undergraduate or graduate training in sustainability a plus
• Minimum 4-5 years of relevant experience, for example: driving implementation of sustainable practices; project managing cross-functional initiatives; managing organization operations improvements
• Demonstrated passion for learning about and driving activities that support environmental sustainability
• Knowledge of best practices in sustainable operations; knowledge of sustainability analytics and reporting
• Outstanding ability to collaborate with multiple departments/functions to drive execution of initiatives
• Excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to develop communications and presentations to update NYRR leadership and other stakeholders on project plans/status/recommendations
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word
• Passion for NYRR?s mission

New York Road Runners is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Apply here.

The post New York Road Runners are Hiring an Environmental Sustainability Manager appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By Lew Blaustein, GreenSportsBlog

?Which metro area is the Green-Sportsy-est in the US??

While coastal areas like San Francisco-Oakland-Santa Clara and Seattle might come to mind first, it says here that Minneapolis and St. Paul, smack dab in the heartland of the country, wins the title.

In fact, the Twin Cities? Green-Sportsy-ness runs so deep that we can?t cover it all in one post.

We started things off last week with our look at the sustainability efforts surrounding the recent NCAA Men?s Final Four at US Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings.

Today, in the first of our four-part Twin Cities Rule US Green-Sports series, we examine the greenness of three of the area?s many sports venues. 

The tour starts at US Bank Stadium. Then we get on the light rail?s Green Line and head east across the Mississippi River to the University of Minnesota to check out TCF Bank Stadium, home base for Gophers football. Finally, we hop back on the eastbound Green Line ride, ending up in St. Paul and CHS Field, home of the Saints, an innovative independent baseball club.

PEAKS AND VALLEYS GETTING TO ZERO WASTE AT US BANK STADIUM

Bradley Vogel, sustainability coordinator at US Bank Stadium, has seen a lot since he arrived in November 2016 after wrapping up his Masters Degree in Sustainability Management at the University of Minnesota.

His rookie year coincided with the Minnesota Vikings? first season at the viking ship-shaped building. Then he and his operations team had a mega-event doubleheader for which to prepare: Super Bowl LII in February 2018 and April?s NCAA Men?s Final Four.

Bradley Vogel (Photo credit: MSFA)

Pressure came with the Super Bowl-Final Four back-to-back for Vogel and his team.

Management wanted US Bank Stadium to achieve LEED Gold for Building Design and Construction ? it ultimately earned that certification last year ? but the waste diversion rate was too low at the outset.

?Our diversion rate was only 15 percent in Year One, July 2016 to June, 2017,? Vogel recalled. ?But our director of operations Curtis Schmillen had a huge plan to turn that around. So in Year Two, we added compost in our back-of-house (kitchens) operations and throughout the rest of the stadium. It helped that Hennepin County and the city of Minneapolis are committed to composting.?

ESPN?s corporate social responsibility (CSR) team played a big role with composting as well. ?They are composting experts,? reported Vogel. ?ESPN?s X Games became an annual event at US Bank Stadium starting in July 2017, and so they helped us get past some of the pitfalls that come with trying to compost at a big event.?

With the help of funding for composting from Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority (MSFA), which owns the building, and the state, US Bank Stadium upped its diversion rate to 46 percent in 2017.

But, with Super Bowl LII upcoming in February 2018, MSFA management was not satisfied.

?Management and NFL Environmental asked ?what can do to make US Bank as green as possible by Super Bowl LII?,? Vogel said. ?The answer: Get us to zero waste ? at least 90 percent diversion. And despite an up-and-down 2017, we knew we had the ability to get to 90 percent diversion, especially since, per Minneapolis law and MSFA policy, everything had to be compostable or recyclable, including things like ?to go tubs? and cutlery.?

When it came time for the Super Bowl, concessionaireAramark upped its game on compostables. Pepsi had ?bin guards? to make sure fans placed their waste in the correct bins. When all was said and done, the post-game sort revealed that the US Bank Stadium team, like the Philadelphia Eagles, were winners, as the diversion rate came in at 91 percent.

Jack Groh of NFL Environmental gives instructions to Pepsi bin guards prior to Super Bowl LII (Photo credit: Bradley Vogel)

Waste Sort Board educates US Bank Stadium staff on the proper ways waste should be disposed (Photo credit: Bradley Vogel)

But achieving zero waste for a Super Bowl, with sponsors and the NFL pitching in is one thing. Doing it for a full, 10-game Minnesota Vikings campaign, without that outside assistance, is quite another. The US Bank Stadium sustainability team notched a solid 72 percent rate for the 2018 season but they fell short of Super Bowl LII?s 91 percent diversion level.

Vogel believes the lessons learned at the Super Bowl and the Men?s Final Four (a lower-than-expected 64 percent diversion rate, due in part to back-of-house issues that were specific to that event), will help his team get US Bank Stadium and the Vikings over that season-long zero waste hump this fall.

?We?ve maximized our compost rate back-of-house,? Vogel noted. ?Now we?re working on getting our fan-facing, front-of-house composting to similar levels. That?s how we?ll get to zero-waste on a season-long basis. In the meantime, our overall sustainable approach earned US Bank Stadium LEED Platinum for Operations and Maintenance (O&M) status, making us the first stadium to attain that level. Official certification will come in June or July.?

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA: LOOKING TO SWITCH TO RECYCLABLE PROMOTIONAL ITEMS AT GOPHERS FOOTBALL GAMES TO INCREASE DIVERSION RATE

Getting to zero waste for a full season is also goal for University of Minnesota football. The Gophers play their games at TCF Bank Stadium, their 50,000 seat, LEED silver home adjacent to the light rail?s green line.

?We?ve averaged 82 percent diversion over the past four or five years at TCF Bank Stadium, and that includes 2014-15 when the Vikings played here and 2017-18 when we hosted Minnesota United¹,? said Jeff Seifriz, assistant athletics director- facility operations. ?Getting to 90 percent has proven to be tricky but we made strides last season by working with the university?s sustainability office and third party vendors like Aramark and the University of Minnesota Waste Recovery Services to do detailed audits of our post-game sorts.?

Jeff Seifriz (Photo credit: University of Minnesota)

One thing that has kept the Gophers? sustainability team from getting to zero waste has been promotional items: ?The problem is that vessels like souvenir cups and serving boats have complex graphics that make them difficult to be accepted by recyclers. We?re looking at going to a simpler ?single print? approach that hopefully will get these items into the recycling stream and get us to 90 percent diversion.? It says here that venues and teams can reduce the environmental cost of promotional items by having fewer promotional days, at least those that involve giving out stuff.

Seifriz wishes that zero waste had been a thing when TCF Bank Stadium was in the planning stages back in 2006 (it opened in 2009): ?Had zero waste been our radar back then, we would?ve made space for composting on site and for compactors.?

TCF Bank Stadium, home of University of Minnesota Gophers football (Photo credit: University of Minnesota)

Since then, Seifriz and his team have gone to school on some of the best in Collegiate Green-Sports, studying the successes of the University of Colorado-Boulder, University of Washington and Big Ten rival Ohio State. The 20+ year University of Minnesota facilities veteran also shares best practices with his Green-Sports-minded counterparts from the St. Paul Saints, as well as the Minnesota Twins, Vikings, and Wild at the occasional brainstorm session (aka Happy Hours): ?It?s a terrific group of committed practitioners who want to make a difference on the environment.?

ST. PAUL SAINTS: INCUBATING GREEN-SPORTS INNOVATION AT CHS FIELD

Independent League Baseball leagues and teams ? they are not affiliated with and/or owned by major league league franchises as opposed to minor league clubs ? are proving to be the sport?s petri dishes.

This season, the independent Atlantic League is experimenting with some outside-the-box rule changes, like moving the pitcher?s mound two feet farther away from home plate with the goal of reducing strikeouts and increasing the percentage of pitches that are hit in play.

The St. Paul Saints, who play in the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, have been a proving ground for green innovation since planning began about eight years ago for what would become CHS Field.

Tom Whaley, aside from a four year hiatus, has been with the Saints since 1993. He is now an owner of the club and serves executive vice-president.

Whaley said that the Twin Cities? sustainable heritage was one of the main reasons that green figured so prominently in the new ballpark.

?Green became a top priority for us when we started planning for the new ballpark in the early 2010s for four key reasons,? recalled Whaley. ?#1. A clean, healthy, environment is very important to most people in our area, #2. Industry was heading in a green direction, #3. The City of St. Paul has a cabinet-level sustainability position, and #4. We are in an eternal quest to connect with young fans and green is something to which they respond.?

Tom Whaley (Photo credit: St. Paul Saints)

Sustainable elements at the 7,200-seat CHS Field that were state-of-the-green-ballpark-art when it opened in 2015 ? especially in the world of independent baseball ? included:

• On-site 100 kWh solar array that supplies 17 percent of the ballpark?s electricity, thanks to a grant from Xcel Energy
• A graywater re-use system, with water supplied from the roof of a large adjacent transit facility, used to water the field and flush toilets
• A vigorous waste diversion effort, funded in part by a grant from the state of Minnesota.

As the ballpark opened, the team wrapped a green sponsorship around the initiative called ?The Greenest Ballpark in America?, with Ecolab, a global sustainable cleaning solutions company based in St. Paul, coming on as title sponsor. The sponsorship is critical to helping the Saints communicate the ballpark?s environmentally friendly features and benefits to its fans.

?Our goal is to bring green closer to home for our fans, to get them to think ?CHS Field has solar; I should look into solar at my house?,? added Whaley. ?We have two touch screen kiosks on the concourse to educate fans, a mobile platform (sustainability.chsfield.com), do in-game public address and video board announcements, plus on-field contests, all to engage our fans around the ideas and technologies. In 2018, we began an internship program dedicated to sustainability, and we deploy a volunteer Green Team of about 15-20 fans that spread our green message at about one third of our home games.?

100 kWh solar array located in beyond the left field wall supplies approximately 17 percent of the electricity needs at CHS Field (Photo credit: St. Paul Saints)

Ecolab partners with the Saints on kiosks that take real-time data from CHS Field?s Building Automation System to show fans the amount of power generated and saved (Photo credit: St. Paul Saints)

The Saints? sustainability efforts earned CHS Field GreenSportsBlog?s Greenest New Ballpark award for 2015.

How have the fans reacted to the Saints? greening? ?It?s been very well received,? offered Whaley. ?One thing we haven?t done yet is survey the fans about it. We should and we will.?

Read the full article here.

The post Twin Cities Rule US Green-Sports: Vikings, U of Minnesota, St. Paul Saints LEED the Way appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By ESPN

Tyler Trent and Lina Khalifeh will be honored with the Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award at the 2019 Sports Humanitarian Awards on July 9 in Los Angeles.

Ciara will host the event, with a musical performance by Andy Grammer. The event takes place the night before the ESPYS, honoring athletes, teams and sports industry professionals who use the power of sport to make a difference throughout the world.

Trent, who died on Jan. 1 from a rare form of bone cancer, inspired countless sports fans with his gratitude and grace. The Purdue student was a fixture at the school’s football games, even while fighting his cancer.

He raised thousands of dollars to support cancer research and was honored with the Disney Spirit Award and the Sagamore of the Wabash award, the highest civilian award given to Indiana citizens. He was honorary bowl captain and went to midfield for the pregame coin toss at the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl less than a week before he died.

Khalifeh is a taekwondo champion from Jordan with 20 gold medals from national and international completions. She created SheFighter, the first women’s-only self-defense school in the Middle East, and has trained more than 18,000 women globally since 2012.

SheFighter now has studios in more than 35 countries.

Reggie Bullock of the Los Angeles Lakers, retired NFL player Chris Long, Yadier Molina of the St. Louis Cardinals and former US Open tennis champion Sloane Stephens are the finalists for the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award.

The Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year finalists are the Anaheim Ducks(NHL), Chicago Fire Soccer Club (MLS), Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB) and New York City Football Club (MLS).

Anthem Foundation, Burton Snowboards, Finish Line and Brooks Running, and Under Armour are the Corporate Community Impact Award finalists.

The honorees for the inaugural Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award and the Sports Sustainability Leadership Award, along with the League Humanitarian Leadership Award, also will be announced.

The Sports Humanitarian Awards are presented by ESPN and sponsored by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. A one-hour recap of the event will be on ESPN on July 18 at 7 p.m. ET.

The net proceeds of the event benefit the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund at the V Foundation. To date, $7.5 million has been donated to the community on behalf of the Sports Humanitarian Awards. ESPN will also make a charitable contribution on behalf of the winners.

Multiple sports leagues and governing bodies, including MLB, MLS, NBA, NFL, NHL, Top Rank, UFC, USTA, WNBA and WWE, nominated athletes, teams and corporations who are transforming lives and uplifting communities.

Read the full article here.

The post Sports Humanitarian Awards Names Nominees appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

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