Going Green - 5 Ways Sports Are Leading The Way

Earth Day is around the corner and while Kermit said "it isn't easy being green," these leaders in sports would prove otherwise.

Going the distance,

The Last Night's Game Team

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Going Green - 5 Ways Sports Are Leading The Way

1. The Forest Green Rovers, a soccer team from Western England, are leading the charge to go green. They set an example with their “Greening Up Football” campaign, which includes no meat at the stadium. In fact, the club became 100% vegan in 2015. There no animal products are for sale in the stadium. No milkshakes or meat pies for you.

2. Ohio State University boasts one of the biggest stadiums in college football, seating roughly 105,000. It’s big and mighty and it’s a “zero waste” stadium which means 90% or more of the trash created avoids landfills through recycling, repurposing and composting. The Buckeyes’ home is 95.45% waste free.

3. The 2022 World Cup in Qatar has been full of controversy (just a light bribery scandal) but one thing we can all agree on is their quest for a zero-carbon tournament. Organizers have pledged that all 12 tournament venues will be zero-carbon emitting, even featuring special climate controls to combat the 100+ degree temps outside. THE FIVE MOST SUSTAINABLE SPORTS VENUES IN THE WORLD. 

4. The San Francisco 49ers (NFL – National Football League) homefield advantage is urban farming. Levi Stadium boasts a 27,000-square foot rooftop farm that generates 500 pounds of produce monthly. The facility is also committed to local sourcing for its food, with 78 percent of its suppliers within 150 miles of the stadium. READ

5. Pocono Motor Speedway’s (NASCAR - National Association For Stock Car Auto Racing) green efforts not only benefit the earth but you. The raceway runs completely on solar power but has an industry specific problem – what to do with as many as 600 used tires after a race? Answer – recycle. The recycled reside from old tires is used in everyday items such as portable speed bumps, the anti-fatigue mat in your kitchen or playgrounds.

- There are nearly 600 teams from 15 different sports in 14 countries who members of the Green Sports Alliance. To find out more about their impact, click here. 

 

Getting to the good stuff

Today’s top three topics in sports are definitely ones you’ll want to share. Find out how Tom Brady is linked to Trump accuser Stormy Daniels (hint: it’s pretty funny), the new basketball friendly wine to try and why Lady Liberty is sporting a winner’s smile this morning. READ IT

Coffee, Tea Or LNG?

Start your Monday off right with conversation starters to carry you through the day. 

Talk amongst yourselves,

The Last Night's Game Team 

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NFL (National Football League)

• Welcome home. In the team's first game at home, JJ Watt received a hero's welcome. The Houston Texans player has raised over $31 million and counting for the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. Alongside donations from other athletes, superstars like Ellen DeGeneres and Jimmy Fallon made significant contributions to the fund.  
• Build it and they will come.  The Los Angeles Rams opened their season yesterday and they dominated the Indianapolis Colts. Unfortunately, there were few people in the crowd to witness the win. Twitter had a field day with the awful attendance. 
• Coming up. In case you didn't get enough football this weekend, tonight there are two Monday Night Football games. One will feature the first female broadcaster to ever call a nationally televised football game.

Tennis

• On top of the world. Sloane Stephens went from unseeded (ranked 934 in the world) to Women’s U.S. Open champion on Saturday. The tournament believes in equal pay when it comes to the winner's earnings and Stephens reaction to receiving her $3.7M check is priceless.

College Football

• Victorious. In the big game of the weekend, the underdog Oklahoma Sooners (5) leveled the Ohio State Buckeyes (2) at home. Although the real excitement came from the Louisiana Tech game where the football had the last laugh during this play.

Overtime

• Remember when your mom would call you by the name of your sibling when she was mad? The Indianapolis Colts coach was so distraught by the blowout loss (see above) he kept referring to the Rams as the San Francisco 49ers when talking to reporters. Someone get this man a beer. Stat!

Sideline stat

• Rafael Nadal was crowned the Men’s U.S. Open champion for his 16th career Grand Slam win, three behind the record 19 wins held by Roger Federer. If we’re throwing out numbers, Serena Williams has won 23 Grand Slams.

(A Grand Slam, also known as a major, is one of the four major tournaments in tennis).   

Coaches’ corner

• MLB (Major League Baseball) season is winding down, with the playoffs beginning in October. This weekend the Washington Nationals became the first team to secure a playoff spot.