(Podcast length 4:49 mins)
Kermit the Frog said, "it isn’t easy being green," but in the world of sports, lofty goals come true, and rivals unite all in the name of Mother Earth. And not just on Earth Day.
Transcript
1. The Forest Green Rovers, a soccer team from Western England, is the “greenest football club” (or soccer to Americans) in the world. They claim the title of the world's only vegan football club. Since 2015, there have been no animal products for sale in the stadium. Some players eat non-vegan outside of the stadium (and there are paparazzi photos to prove it), but some have adopted the vegan lifestyle. Other ways they're helping to save the planet include a field free of chemical fertilizers, using reusable energy and a "mow-bot," a GPS-directed solar-powered lawnmower. NO MEAT PIES FOR YOU
2. The name says it all - Climate Pledge Arena. The home to the Seattle Kraken (NHL – National Hockey League) and the Seattle Storm (WNBA – Women's National Basketball Association) uses no fossil fuel consumption for daily use. It also has a "rain to rink" system utilizing rainwater to resurface the ice along with waterless urinals and ultra-efficient showers. By 2024, they plan to have no single-use plastics in the arena. The price of being named the first International Living Future Institute certified zero carbon arena in the world? $1.5 billion, all from private funding. MAMA EARTH IS SO PROUD
3. There's a new league in town – the National Recycling League. Anheuser-Busch is pulling together its sports team partners in the NFL (National Football League) and MLB (Major League Baseball) to combat the lack of recycling, including the estimated 51 million plastic cups used every year at sporting events. Recycling Hawkers, or volunteers from Keep America Beautiful, will be deployed in stadiums to collect cups, cans and bottles to ensure they're recycled properly. Ten MLB teams have already signed on to be inaugural members of the "league." WHEN IN ROME
4. Pocono Motor Speedway's (NASCAR - National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) green efforts benefit the earth and you. The raceway runs entirely on solar power and has sheep for lawn mowers but has an industry-specific problem – what to do with as many as 600 used tires after a race? Answer – recycle. The recycled residue from old tires is used in everyday items such as portable speed bumps and the anti-fatigue mat in your kitchen or playgrounds. WHERE THE RUBBER HITS THE ROAD
5. The 2024 Paris Olympics is doing everything it can to claim the title of the "Greenest Games Ever." The only new structures that will be built for the Games will be an aquatics center and temporary buildings constructed with low-carbon materials. Organizers are focusing on repurposing existing venues, which will help them save money too. The plan to reduce emissions includes housing 85% of athletes within 30 minutes of their competition site. IT KEEPS GETTING BETTER
Sports Curious, presented by Last Night's Game, is here to take the awkward out of the conversation and help you join the sports conversation, even if you don't know the first thing about sports. We break down what's happening in sports in an easy-to-understand, fun way without all of the statistics and jargon, so you never have to exit stage left when the chatter at the office, dinner table or networking event switches to sports.
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