By Aubrey McCormick & Andrew Szunyog

Sports leagues are seeing the impacts and the surge of climate-responsible athletes using their platforms to promote positive environmental and social impact ? it?s something for the history books.

The golf industry, for one, is increasing its efforts to promote environmental sustainability and marketing to the general public its desire to embrace a more diverse demographic. Professional golfers have started speaking out about the changing climate, leading to some corporate sponsors rethinking strategies and how they can better align.

For many professional athletes, it?s no longer enough to represent a brand without purpose. The same can be said for consumers. People want to engage with companies, brands and industries that represent their values.

Over the last few years, the golf industry has made strides towards being more “sustainable,” but is it enough?

According to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, “climate change is real and human activities are the main cause.” The future is net-zero, and re-entering the Paris Climate Agreement should be seen as a signal to step up and act faster than ever before. Nearly every country in the world, including the U.S., has agreed to voluntarily lower their carbon emissions, report progress and implementation efforts to show transparency.

In the U.S. alone, 2 million acres of land are used for golf courses. As the population grows, we may see more demand for this land to be used for agriculture, parks and real estate.

The UN Sports for Climate Action Framework aims to unite the global sports community to combat climate change through “commitments and partnerships according to verified standards including measuring, reducing and reporting greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.” Currently, five golf organizations have joined: the United States Golf Association (USGA); Waste Management Phoenix Open; The International Golf Federation; World Minigolf Federation; and Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore.

Golf is making strides both on social and environmental impact. Internationally, the Golf Environment Organization (GEO) uses its OnCourse program to help facilities, tournaments and golf course developments meet strict voluntary standards of sustainability. GEO?s influence is found around the world with partnerships spanning over 60 countries, including its new partnership with the Saudi Golf Federation, which is implementing GEO?s current sustainability strategy.

New golf course developments in Asia, the Middle East and Africa are incorporating sustainability into the design and implementation phases of their projects. Particularly, Laguna L?ng Cô Golf Course and Resort in Vietnam has developed a regenerative model with a 17-acre rice field that runs throughout the property that yielded a 28-ton crop in 2020. As one of three golf courses in the world to be EarthCheck-certified, it is empowering employees to support the local community and protect the environment.

In the U.S., the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) just completed its three-year plan to establish Environmental Best Management Practices for all 50 states. In professional golf, several PGA Tour tournaments are leading the way to decrease their carbon footprints by becoming GEO-certified events. Led by the Waste Management Phoenix Open, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the LPGA?s Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, these high-profile events are the PGA?s platform to broadly engage local communities and fans while assessing and reporting the true impact their tournaments have on local ecosystems.

Nonprofit organizations such as the National Links Trust, recent bid winners to take over operations of Washington, D.C.?s three public golf courses, are dedicated to protecting affordable municipal golf courses, understanding the positive impact they have on local communities.

Issues of diversity and inclusion in the game are garnering more attention as investments are made in supporting golf programs managed by historically Black colleges and universities. Of particular note are the establishment of Howard University’s men?s and women?s golf teams by Steph Curry and “Capital One?s The Match: Champions for Change,” an event featuring Charles Barkley and Phil Mickelson that raised $6.4 million.

LPGA professional and two-time major champion Suzann Pettersen has emerged as a leading golf sustainability spokesperson, becoming the first professional golfer to openly endorse and partner with the GEO Foundation to establish new levels of awareness and action.

Said Pettersen at the 2020 Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, “As a mother of a young child, it is incredible how concerned you become over the future of the planet, its biodiversity, air quality and climate. These things are absolutely vital to the health and wellbeing of future generations, so we all need to do our best to make things better.”

According to the National Golf Foundation 2019 Industry Report, there are about 15,000 golf facilities and 24 million golfers. This is equivalent to around one in every nine Americans playing some form of golf. The industry has significant reach and an opportunity to lead by example and align to the world?s global emission goals.

In the U.S. alone, 2 million acres of land are used for golf courses. As the population grows, we may see more demand for this land to be used for agriculture, parks and real estate. Subsequently, millennials and Gen Z individuals will become the majority of the population. As these generations mature, environmental transparency and carbon impact data, among many other sustainability-focused initiatives, will become the standard.

So, what?s next?

We have some ideas on how the golf industry can join the green sports movement and take action.

The Golf Channel should join the U.N. Sports for Climate Action Initiative. If the Golf Channel were to become the first major American sports broadcasting network to sign onto this framework, the move would be a signifier of the golf industry?s recognition of its environmental impact beyond golf course development and tournament operations and show leadership in sustainable broadcasting and messaging.

We need more sustainability commitments from golf equipment manufacturers. Incredible amounts of money are spent every year on R&D as top golf equipment manufacturers compete for consumer dollars. Implementation of transparent, ethical and sustainable practices into their supply and value chains would increase accountability and responsible sourcing of inputs, report true emissions impact and expose gaps where current sustainable initiatives can increase efficiencies. If Amazon, Waste Management (and any other Fortune 500 company) can do it, then certainly the top manufacturers such as Titleist, TaylorMade and Ping Karsten Group can, too.

The PGA of America should introduce a sustainability curriculum to its member certification process. With over 26,000 members around the globe, PGA golf professionals are the lifeblood of the golf industry and serve as the industry?s experts. Giving them the tools to redesign systems to be more sustainable, innovative and regenerative would generate significant ROI opportunities while adding value to the profession and meeting global emission reduction goals.

We?d love to see broad implementation of sustainable operations across professional tournament golf. The select few professional golf tournaments that have committed to zero-waste and emission goals have provided a blueprint for how to conduct largescale tournaments in harmony with local communities. However, as the sponsorship dollars driving Corporate America?s investment into professional golf tournaments shift focus to include social and environmental accountability, will the managers and operators of golf tournaments be prepared to answer the call? A tremendous opportunity to activate climate action awareness campaigns awaits as fans and sponsors begin to return to the course to watch the game?s greats.

Federal legislation should help cities reinvest and retrofit existing municipal and public golf courses. In an effort to build back better, include city-owned golf facilities in any legislation that calls for grants, policies or loans that make them more accessible, inclusive and able to incorporate renewable systems. Investment in energy efficiency, water reclamation and irrigation systems, solar technology and alternative agricultural uses of unused space present golf courses as living laboratories for regenerative and circular urban ecosystems. Imagine if golf courses could grow enough food to feed an afterschool program or provide enough energy to power a homeless shelter.

The time is now.

Read the GreenBiz article here

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By Aramark

We?re passionate about serving people?and working to ensure the wellbeing of both people and our planet. While the pandemic dramatically changed how companies do business, we remained focused on practices that enable equity and wellbeing for millions of people and reduce our environmental impact across our operations.

This month, we?re celebrating Earth Day by highlighting our recent pledge to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions 15 percent by the end of 2025, thus reducing our carbon footprint. This commitment is part of our Be Well. Do Well. sustainability plan and targets those emissions we control and influence?in technical terms, our scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions. These three scopes identify our emissions based on where they originate, as well as our ability to control or influence. The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol is the world’s most widely used greenhouse gas accounting standard for companies and helps them track progress toward climate goals.

To establish our Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory, we evaluated our emissions from a variety of sources.

?Mitigating the effects of climate change takes leadership?across government, industries, businesses, and consumers,? said Enterprise Sustainability Manager Kelly McCourt. ?Everyone plays a part and figuring out how to best address our part is an evolving initiative.?

Through the collaborative efforts of our food, facilities, and uniforms teams, we established our baseline emissions and identified key data gaps to close. We modeled different scenarios and evaluated the potential impact of various initiatives that will help to achieve our goal to decrease our carbon footprint. We?re also implementing practices to improve emissions tracking and expand our public reporting.

Gaining Momentum In Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions

Given the wide and diverse nature of our business?from the food we serve to thousands each day, to the vehicles we drive and the facilities we maintain?we have a unique opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We?ve already implemented many measures to help us reach our goal, and we?re accelerating our strategy that will guide us in identifying, evaluating, and implementing practices to further reduce emissions.

According to CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project), a non-governmental organization that runs the global greenhouse gas disclosure system, a company?s supply chain emissions ? included in scope 3 – are on average 5.5 times larger than a company?s direct operations. For a food service company, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity as we can determine which products we purchase, though ultimately our consumers choose their menu selections.

Through our inventory, we found that supply chain purchases, and animal products in particular, contribute a larger percentage of our emissions, while a smaller percentage is attributed to our building and vehicle operations. We also identified that emissions from kitchen equipment at our client locations present a significant gap in our inventory. So, in the next four years, we?ll advance our plans by taking a hard look at both our supply chain and our operations to implement practices that can help lower our emissions.

Across our company, we?re already lowering emissions by purchasing responsibly sourced products and reducing food waste. For example, our No-Deforestation Policy guides how we source palm oil, soy, beef, and paper products from healthy ecosystems not at risk of deforestation, since converting tropical forests for agricultural products such as palm oil, soy, beef, and paper (timber) is a leading cause of deforestation, and a major contributor to climate change.

We also strive to eliminate waste before it?s generated through menu planning, customer and portion forecasting, smart purchasing, consumer engagement tools, waste tracking, post-analysis, and other initiatives. All our food service locations are tracking food waste using a variety of methods, including 400 of our largest accounts that have transitioned to a technology-based solution for tracking waste. Tracking waste enables better decisions about what to purchase and how much to prepare.

In our Higher Education, Healthcare and Business Dining food businesses, we?ve also made an innovative move to more plant-forward and plant-based menus, which are better for people?s health?and for the planet, because they not only help reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also minimize demand for water and land resources and preserve natural habitats.

?As a company, our goal is to educate and enable consumers to make informed choices,? said Kathy Cacciola, Vice President, Enterprise Sustainability. ?For example, we?re striving to help our consumers understand the connection between having delicious, nutritious plant-forward meals and helping to reduce our collective greenhouse gas emissions.?

In our DSD business, we?ve set a goal of an 8% reduction in fuel consumption and the elimination of about 12,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) through telematics technology, route optimization, and fleet modernization. Our 31 all-electric step vans?on the road since 2017?have also decreased Aramark?s emissions by 433 metric tons of CO₂, and we?re planning to add 50 more over the next two years.

We?re driving a greener future through the expansion of our electric fleet, a key component of our DSD (Uniforms and Refreshment Services) business.

And in our Facilities business, we implement energy management solutions that minimize energy consumption and improve operational efficiencies. Our deep knowledge and expertise enable us to develop tailored solutions that deliver on our clients? highest priorities such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions or helping to achieve time-bound climate goals.

While all of these are exciting accomplishments, we continue to raise the bar: we?re building on this momentum to deliver more emissions reductions. By tracking and quantifying environmental and financial impacts of these efforts, we?ll work toward our climate goal.

Meeting Customer Expectations and Bettering the Bottom Line

Not only is environmental sustainability the right thing to do, but it also has serious implications for our customers, clients, and bottom line. As consumers take steps to better themselves, they increasingly expect companies to be committed to social change and environmental responsibility. Similarly, many organizations?universities, companies, governments, sports teams?are escalating their expectations of partners and suppliers, wanting to ensure their vision and values are aligned.

?In our sustainability plan, we define sustainability as ?the three P’s?? people, planet, and profit. It’s a three-legged stool,? Cacciola said. ?By addressing climate change, our goal is to enable people to prosper, on a healthy planet, for generations to come while ensuring long-term business growth.?

We?re looking to the future with renewed determination to do good ? for our people and our planet ? across our entire business and in partnership with our employees, clients, investors, and stakeholders.

Read the original article here

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By Jeff Carlisle, ESPN

The Soccer Collective On Racial Equity (SCORE) released an initiative on Wednesday that aims to expand access and increase representation among Black soccer coaches at the collegiate level.

Dubbed the Clive Charles Diversity Hiring Initiative after the legendary University of Portland and U.S. men’s national team assistant coach, the effort is an opt-in pledge by Division I men’s soccer programs to include Black candidates in their pool for coaching vacancies. The initiative’s aim is to ensure equal opportunity in the hiring of coaches and to address the barriers that have faced underrepresented minority groups.

The initiative is also supported by Major League Soccer’s Black Players for Change and the USL Black Players Association.

“The Clive Charles initiative represents both acknowledgement of the current lack of Black coaches and tangible action to create processes to move towards equitable opportunities in the sport of soccer,” said Toronto FC defender Justin Morrow, who is also the Executive Director of Black Players for Change. “We are encouraged by the enthusiasm in response to this initiative by Division l Soccer programs and hope that our progress will be a guiding light as we continue our fight for equality.”

In a bid to increase access of Black coaches to job openings around the country, SCORE said it will maintain a “Ready List” of qualified Black men and women coaches. Collegiate programs that choose to enroll in the initiative pledge to interview at least one minority candidate which can come from the Ready List, though that isn’t required.

By agreeing to take part in the initiative, participating collegiate programs will send formal interview requests in writing to candidates, with SCORE maintaining interview records and reports. At the point that the final decision-maker involves themselves in the process, they must continue that involvement through the process’ conclusion. The final decision-makers must conduct interviews using similar platforms, venues and length of time.

“There has to be a strong and systemic movement in the direction of recognizing that there is racial disproportionality in the power positions off the field and rectifying it,” said N. Jeremi Duru, a law professor at American University in Washington, D.C., whose specialty areas include sports and entertainment law and employment discrimination law. “SCORE is moving forward with this initiative with that goal in mind.”

Among the coaches and programs that have agreed to take part in the initiative are: Sasho Cirovski of the University of Maryland, Nick Carlin-Voight of the University of Portland (WCC), Chaka Daley from the University of Michigan (B1G), Terry Davila of Cal-State University at Northridge (Big West), Chris Gbandi from Northeastern University (CAA), Leo Griffin from the University of San Francisco (WCC), Kevin Grimes of the University of California, Berkeley (Pac-12), Ryan Hopkins from San Diego State University (Pac-12), Bobby Muuss from Wake Forest University (ACC), Bo Oshoniyi of Dartmouth College (Ivy) and Ray Reid from the University of Connecticut (Big East).

“When I reached out to the coaches, I was blown away by not only their amazing response to the vision and mission set forth by SCORE, Black Players for Change and USLBPA last summer, but also by their sheer commitment to make a difference,” said SCORE Executive Board member Allen Hopkins, who crafted the initiative. “The fact that the premier college programs in the country are part of the charter group is special and reflects not only the character of the men who lead those programs, but also to the institutions they represent and the importance of equity in opportunities. Actions mean everything and in regards to equity and representation, this is by far the most significant step any organization has taken within the U.S. soccer landscape.”

While the initiative is focusing on college soccer, the hope is that a similar approach can be used at the professional level. At present, MLS has just two Black head coaches in Colorado Rapids’ Robin Fraser and CF Montreal’s Wilfried Nancy, and just two Black player personnel executives in Toronto FC sporting director Ali Curtis and New York Red Bulls sporting director Denis Hamlett.

“I am relentlessly optimistic about the impact the Clive Charles Initiative will have on college soccer and also at the highest levels of the game, including MLS and U.S. Soccer,” Hopkins told ESPN in a subsequent email. “Ultimately, what is most exciting is that the legacy of the initiative will be authored by those talented people, who receive the right support at the right time through the [CCI].”

Read the original ESPN article here

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By Kyle Stackpole

The post Washington Hires Natalia Dorantes As Coordinator Of Football Programs appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By OL Reign

Sustainability is a topic of growing importance, environmentally, socially, and economically. The journey is just beginning for the professional sports industry, including OL Reign. From individual player efforts, to changes in the way that the team and staff operate, the club is committed to focusing on sustainability now and in the future, through a variety of intentional efforts.

Many of OL Reign?s sustainability efforts are taking place in the locker room, beginning with education about implementing sustainable habits. Educational signage has been posted around the training facility highlighting how consumptions habits impact biodiversity and the environment, offering players more information about the importance of the sustainability efforts the club is participating in. The club is also providing 30-40% vegan meals, giving athletes the option to eat vegan or simply start the conversation about veganism and sustainability.

To reduce waste and eliminate the use of single-use plastics, OL Reign utilizes reusable plates, cups, and silverware for the locker room, and has transitioned to using items that are purchased in bulk, such as snacks, soap, bodywash, and conditioner, reducing the amount of packaging discarded by the club. The club is also transitioning to the use of reusable towels in place of paper towels whenever possible.

OL Reign?s commitment to sustainability is supported by new partnerships, such as the club?s partnership with Everybody Water, a boxed water brand that comes in 100% recyclable packaging and contains water from a community system. Partnerships like these have aided OL Reign in its efforts to eliminate the use of single-use plastic water bottles by providing sustainable hydration options.

Impact on Retail

OL Reign is currently in the process of transitioning to completely recyclable or compostable packaging on the retail side of the organization. In the Team Store at Cheney Stadium, OL Reign will use 100% recycled paper bags rather than standard plastic bags. For items that need to be shipped, the organization is moving to a 100% recyclable poly mailer to avoid creating packaging waste that will go into a landfill. In addition, new compostable packing tissue and packing stickers will be used.

A new way of printing t-shirts is also being implemented. This direct-to-garment printing will avoid the use of harsh chemicals and use a vinegar base when applying graphics to apparel items.

M.A.D Travel Kits by Lu Barnes

OL Reign defender, Lu Barnes has started her own sustainability effort in the form of M.A.D Travel Kits, which were announced on April 6. M.A.D Travel Kits, short for ?Make a Difference,? are eco-friendly travel kits filled with everyday products that are useful for professional women?s soccer players, such as protein powder, reusable utensils, reusable water bottles, toothpaste, deodorant, and more. These kits will be distributed to members of the club. The purpose the project is to encourage professional athletes to support sustainability efforts with their everyday habits and to encourage other professionals and fans to make an effort to do the same.

Barnes is looking forward to launch of these kits, as well as the efforts that the club is taking to become more sustainable.

?For the past six months I have been working with some incredible companies that have a proven track record in sustainable products. Together we have designed the ?M.A.D? (Make A Difference) eco travel kit and are taking a pledge to reduce our single-use plastics to lessen our impact on the environment in sport,? said Barnes. ?As a team we are passionate about the health of our planet and as a club we?ve made strides to becoming a more sustainable organization. With the backing of OL we have put together some exciting initiatives to further our journey towards a greener future.?

Jas it Up by Jasmyne Spencer

OL Reign forward, Jasmyne Spencer started her own sustainable clothing brand, Jas it Up, in 2017 with the goal of having a positive impact on the environment and society. Spencer works to make sure that her clothing is sustainably sourced on an environmental level, using manufacturing practice and materials that are better for the earth, as well as on a people level, ensuring that the work being done under ethical conditions and those doing the work are paid a fair wage.

?Jas It Up at its core is just an extension of myself and everything that I?m passionate about?preserving our environment and creating opportunities for our youth,? Spencer said. ?We all have a responsibility to leave the world in a better place for future generations. That starts with being conscious of how the products we buy and use on a daily basis affect the Earth and the people we share it with.?

OL Reign?s sustainability journey is just getting started, but the club is doing everything it can to ensure that it can continue to improve on its sustainability efforts. It has partnered with locally-owned businesses to achieve its sustainability metrics and is looking into the future to create a formal sustainability plan as part of its social impact plan.

OL Reign Associate General Manger, Santiago Gallo, thinks that the organization has a great opportunity to set an example when it comes to sustainability.

?Our team has a huge platform that if used in the right way, can create change to make a sustainable world and positively impact our planet,? shared Gallo. ?For us, it?s what we do on the pitch and outside it, and part of it is making a better world for all our stakeholders and future generations so they are able to enjoy the sport we love, like we are doing right now.?

Read the original article here

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Existing venues also developing methods to fight climate change, promote sustainability

By William Douglas

Read the original article here

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By Alden Gonzalez, ESPN

Major League Baseball announced Friday that it is moving the 2021 All-Star Game out of Atlanta in response to a new Georgia law that has civil rights groups concerned about its potential to restrict voting access for people of color.

The 2021 MLB draft, a new addition to All-Star Game festivities this year, will also be relocated.

In a statement, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said the league is “finalizing a new host city and details about these events will be announced shortly.” A source told ESPN that the 2022 All-Star Game is still planned for Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and that that site won’t be moved up to fill the void this summer.

“Over the last week, we have engaged in thoughtful conversations with Clubs, former and current players, the Players Association, and The Players Alliance, among others, to listen to their views,” Manfred said in his statement. “I have decided that the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport is by relocating this year’s All-Star Game and MLB Draft.

“Major League Baseball fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions to the ballot box. In 2020, MLB became the first professional sports league to join the non-partisan Civic Alliance to help build a future in which everyone participates in shaping the United States. We proudly used our platform to encourage baseball fans and communities throughout our country to perform their civic duty and actively participate in the voting process. Fair access to voting continues to have our game’s unwavering support.”

The Atlanta Braves said they were “deeply disappointed” by the outcome.

“This was neither our decision, nor our recommendation and we are saddened that fans will not be able to see this event in our city,” the team said in a statement. “The Braves organization will continue to stress the importance of equal voting opportunities and we had hoped our city could use this event as a platform to enhance the discussion. Our city has always been known as a uniter in divided times and we will miss the opportunity to address issues that are important to our community.

“Unfortunately, businesses, employees and fans in Georgia are the victims of this decision.”

The Players Alliance, consisting of more than 100 current and former players who have united in an effort to empower Black communities, came out in support of MLB’s decision with a statement that read in part: “We want to make our voice heard loud and clear in our opposition of the recent Georgia legislation that not only disproportionately disenfranchises the Black community, but also paves the way for other states to pass similarly harmful laws based largely on widespread falsehoods and disinformation.”

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law last week a sweeping, Republican-sponsored bill that includes new restrictions on voting by mail and greater legislative control over how elections are run. The bill, which also prohibits volunteers from distributing food and water for voters waiting in line, was finalized on March 25 roughly 15 miles from the Braves’ stadium, Truist Park.

The new voting law, SB202, came in the wake of the first Democratic victories in presidential and Senate elections in Georgia in a generation, which triggered repeated unproven assertions by former President Donald Trump that the state’s election was fraudulent. Supporters of the new law have said it merely ensures election integrity and stamps out potential fraud, while critics have described it as a voter-suppression tactic that would make it more difficult for minorities, particularly people of color, to vote, citing how it reduces ballot access in urban communities that lean Democrat.

A recent examination of the 98-page bill by The New York Times identified 16 provisions that either hinder Georgians’ right to vote or strip power from state and local elections officials and give it to legislators.

The governor said in a statement that MLB “caved to fear” by moving the All-Star Game.

“I will not back down. Georgians will not be bullied,” Kemp said. “We will continue to stand up for secure, accessible, fair elections. Earlier today, I spoke with the leadership of the Atlanta Braves who informed me they do not support the MLB’s decision.”

Stacey Abrams, a Democratic former Georgia gubernatorial candidate and voting rights activist, tweeted about her disappointment but understanding over MLB’s decision.

“Like many Georgians, I am disappointed that the MLB is relocating the All-Star game; however, I commend the players, owners and League commissioner for speaking out,” Abrams wrote. “I urge others in positions of the leadership to do so as well.”

MLBPA executive director Tony Clark said last Friday that he “would look forward” to discussions around moving the Midsummer Classic — slated for July 13 — out of Atlanta. Five days after that, President Joe Biden, who won Georgia by less than 12,000 votes, told SportsCenter he would “strongly support” such a decision, calling the new bill “Jim Crow on steroids.”

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was among those expressing support for MLB’s decision on Twitter.

Despite moving the All-Star Game, Manfred said that “MLB’s planned investments to support local communities in Atlanta as part of our All-Star Legacy Projects will move forward” and that legendary Braves player Hank Aaron, who died in January, would still be celebrated during the All-Star festivities.

Atlanta has previously hosted the All-Star Game twice, in 1972 and 2000.

Read the original ESPN article here

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This Women?s History Month we honor women who are making a difference in our communities. We?d like to shed light on two women leading Health in the Hood, an important partners of ours – Founder Asha Loring and Opa Locka Community Garden Manager Corine Newsome. Health in the Hood is a non-profit which began as a passion and is now on a mission to end food disparity in South Florida, striving to create a comprehensive health and wellness environment for urban communities that don?t have access to natural food supply.

Asha has made a conscious effort to create eight farms in South Florida with most of them in the northwest quadrant of Liberty City, Overtown, Miami Gardens, Pinewood, and Little Haiti, and one more farm they?re currently building. She noticed the need for healthy and natural food sources in these urban communities, which led her to educate families about these programs.

?I was so confused as to why I could go to the gym, stop by Publix and get healthy food but people who were just a mile away from where I worked, exercise, and live didn?t have that same access,? said Asha.

Health in the Hood is the answer to food insecurity, as a local 501c(3) that builds vegetable gardens in food deserted neighborhoods throughout the 326 food deserts in South Florida. The program receives land donations and converts them into various vegetable gardens. To maintain the gardens, they hire local residences in the neighborhood who serve as great educators for students and families to connect with their food source, learn about nutrition, and how to grow their own food.

Being a women entrepreneur is extremely rewarding for Asha, as she mentions, ?we have so much work as women so to navigate through makes me feel very proud. Makes me feel like my story can inspire other women who want to suppress those barriers.? 90% of the garden managers are women who nurture the plants in the gardens.

I think it?s about being resilient, being valuable, and being the magical powerful beings that we (women) are by nature that allow us to break those barriers and to continue to fight for equality and what better way to do it than by putting our steaks in the ground and making history everywhere we can because that?s what we are here to do I think,? said Asha Loring.

Corine Newsome joined the Health in the Hood program in 2013 and lives in the Opa-Locka neighborhood managing their garden. Her involvement began when she saw a garden in need of maintenance by her home. She began to pull out the weeds and put the vegetables to the side. One day Asha came by the garden and saw her maintaining it, and that is when she asked Corine to join Health in the Hood.

?Community is more than where you stay. I?ve always seen my neighborhood as where I reside. But to really be in the garden, you run into issues like watering the grounds. For the neighbors to pay attention and connect the water hoses to help me water the garden. Community is unity more than anything and it really makes me look at my surrounding area differently,? said Corine

Corine and the Health in the Hood organization are breaking the stereotype of what a typical gardener looks like. She along with her team of volunteers is taking risks and going for it when it comes to planting. She?s a big advocate in getting out there and doing something to help grow the community.

Read the original spotlight here

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By NHL Public Relations

Plan to help 4,800 ice rinks in North America reduce carbon footprint, improve energy efficiency

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By Don Jordan

7/15/15 2015 Summer Aerials: Central Campus – Burton Tower, Rackham, North Quad, Hatcher, Shapiro, UGLI, West Hall.

The University of Michigan will immediately shift its natural resources investments to focus more on renewable energy, stop investing in funds primarily focused on certain fossil fuels and discontinue direct investments in publicly traded companies that are the largest contributors to greenhouse gases.

The new investment strategies are part of a commitment approved by the Board of Regents today to ensure the university?s investment portfolio reaches a ?net-zero? carbon footprint by 2050, likely making it the first public university in the country to take this step to address climate change.

In conjunction with the announced shift in strategy, the Board of Regents also voted to approve a $140 million investment in three funds directed toward renewable energy development and sustainable infrastructure development.

?Endowments by their very nature are future-looking,? said U-M President Mark Schlissel. ?Today we position our investment strategies to meet the challenges of the future.?

While a number of universities have focused on one tactic or another, U-M is the first American university to publicly commit to this combined set of strategies designed to mitigate the financial risks of global climate change.

Image courtesy: University of Michigan

?A net-zero endowment strategy considers the greenhouse gas emissions from all of the university?s investments,? Schlissel said. ?Substantial greenhouse gas emissions occur outside of the energy sector, and net-zero applies broadly rather than targeting a single industry.?

The president and regents outlined the new approach during a Board of Regents meeting as a part of a supplemental action item to modify the university?s existing portfolio of natural resources investments and approve a new investment strategy designed to mitigate climate change-related financial risk.

?The University of Michigan chooses to lead with a comprehensive, concrete investment plan to address the climate change crisis,? said Regent Mark Bernstein. ?We are making a clear commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our entire investment portfolio to net-zero. But that is simply not enough. We must do more, and we are. I?m proud that we are also the very first public university in the United States to publicly adopt this comprehensive combination of commitments, paving the way for others to follow.?

Regents unanimously approved the recommended action, which commits the university to doing the following:

• Transition its endowment?valued at $12.5 billion as of June 30?to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 while maintaining its fiduciary duty to manage risks and maximize risk-adjusted returns.
• Shift its natural resource investment to renewable energy investments, including infrastructure and services that support energy efficiency and emerging technologies that support the transition to a carbon-neutral economy.
• Discontinue directly investing in companies that are the largest contributors to greenhouse cases, currently defined as the top 100 public coal companies and top 100 public oil and gas companies as compiled in the Carbon Underground 200 list. U-M does not currently hold any direct investments in these companies.
• Discontinue investing in funds whose primary focus is oil reserves, oil extraction or thermal coal extraction.
• Continue a strategy of not investing in companies that extract thermal coal or extract oil from tar sands. U-M has not invested in such companies for the past decade.

Achieving net-zero emissions for the university?s endowment means balancing greenhouse gas emissions linked to U-M assets with emissions reductions.

With the action Thursday, U-M joins a small group of universities?including Harvard University, Stanford University and the University of Oxford?that have pledged to transition their endowments to net-zero emissions by 2050, according to data compiled by the nonprofit Intentional Endowments Network.

The $140 million in new investments aligned with the transition to a more sustainable economy and approved by regents included:

• Up to $30 million to D. E. Shaw Renewable Investments, a solar and wind developer and operator that has built more than 40 utility-scale projects across the country, including in Michigan.
• Up to $50 million to Aplomado Partners, which partners with solar developers to put together the land rights necessary to develop utility-scale solar projects.
• Up to $60 million to Cresta Energy Sustainable Infrastructure, which invests in energy infrastructure across the United States and will focus on investments to reduce carbon emissions, sequester carbon dioxide and develop and support renewable power.

Announcement of the new investment strategy builds upon the university?s efforts to address sustainability through both academic research across disciplines and limiting its own carbon footprint.

Last week, the President?s Commission on Carbon Neutrality delivered its final report, including 50 recommendations to help the university achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across the Flint, Dearborn and Ann Arbor campuses, including Michigan Medicine.

Recommendations pertain to direct U-M emissions, purchased electricity and indirect emissions sources, like commuting and food procurement. Proposed actions include converting heating and cooling infrastructure on all campuses to a more efficient system, transitioning university vehicles to a fully decarbonized fleet and incentivizing commuter electric vehicle use.

The commission designed recommendations to be scalable, transferable, financially responsible and environmentally just. Schlissel praised the PCCN report and said he will respond with initial action steps in the next month or so.

In addition, the university continues its progress toward meeting its 2025 sustainability goals, established in 2011. The Ann Arbor campus is expected to meet its goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 25%, relative to a 2006 baseline, later this year on an annualized basis.

It is expected to fully meet its annual goal during the next fiscal year?three years ahead of schedule. This will mean a net reduction of nearly 200,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year?equivalent to removing 43,000 cars from the road each year.

Read the original announcement here

The post U-M discontinues investments in the largest contributors to greenhouse gases appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

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