Earth Day? I have mixed feelings.
On the one hand, some observances seem underwhelming — NBCUniversal’s/Comcast’s “Green Is Universal” is one example. They have what seems like a promising initiative on reducing food waste (#NoFoodWasted) this year. Yet MSNBC and NBC News mention climate change and the environment rarely and, when they have covered it in recent days, their focus has been on the ethical scandals surrounding EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt rather than on his and his boss’ destructive, anti-climate change agenda. And this is MSNBC! Imagine how climate change is covered on Fox News. On second thought, it’s best to leave that one alone.
The flip side is — and this is somewhat sad to say — even one-offs are better than nothing when it comes to coverage of the environment. In the Green-Sports corner of the world, any positive fan engagement news is welcome and there is now a significant amount of it on Earth Day — and now Earth Month. Or, as the teams and leagues call it, Green Month.
In today’s TGIF GSB News & Notes post we highlight two such stories. We travel to Pittsburgh, where the Stanley Cup champion Penguins began their Green Month festivities with a Green Game, and Detroit, where the Tigers are providing much-needed support to local non-profit Greening of Detroit.
PENGUINS SUPPORT NHL EARTH MONTH WITH RENEWABLE ENERGY PURCHASES, WATER RESTORATION PROGRAM
The NHL, which last month issued its second sustainability report (the first was published in 2014), also used March as a starting point for its first Green Month — in prior years, the league featured Green Week — to provide a forum for its 31 clubs to call attention to the way they’re being environmentally responsible.
To kickoff Green Month, fans of the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins were treated to a two-course Green Game of sorts when the club hosted the Dallas Stars on March 11 at PPG Paints Arena.
The first course was St. Patrick’s Day-themed. Pens players wore commemorative green jerseys during pregame warmups that ultimately were auctioned off to fans in an effort to raise funds for several of the Penguins Foundation’s youth initiatives.
Turning to the NHL Green Month-focused second (main!) course, the club used the March 11 contest to highlight its commitment to environmental sustainability. The game was:
- Powered by 100 percent renewable energy provided by the Penguins and the Penguins Foundation.
- Designated as “Zero-Water” in that the organization purchased enough H2O to fully counterbalance what was used.
Jake Guentzel of the Pittsburgh Penguins dons his St. Patrick’s Day/Green Month-themed jersey during warmups for the club’s March 11 matchup vs. the Dallas Stars (Photo credit: Pittsburgh Penguins)
The Penguins are not rookies when it comes to sustainability.
In 2010, PPG Paints Arena became the first sports facility in North America to earn LEED Gold certification. In addition, the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, while not LEED certified, was designed with many LEED attributes. This has resulted in significant cost savings by 1) reducing energy consumption and 2) accessing utility rebates during high electricity demand times.
And, in October 2016, when President Obama welcomed the Penguins to the White House to celebrate that year’s Cup win, he thanked the organization for being “leaders in the Green Sports Alliance, [making] their facilities more energy and water efficient, [and for] lowering their carbon footprint when they travel.”
I am quite confident that such a statement will not be forthcoming from the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue should the Pens sip from the Cup for a third straight year. I am equally confident that the unwelcome policy and tonal switch on climate from the White House will not deter the Penguins — nor their 30 NHL counterparts — from building upon their Green Month accomplishments (someday perhaps the NHL will have a Green Season?)
DETROIT TIGERS SUPPORT “GREENING OF DETROIT” VIA EARTH DAY PROMOTION
Fans attending the Detroit Tigers game on Sunday April 22 — aka Earth Day XLVIII — at Comerica Park will get their money’s worth, even if the home team loses to the visiting Kansas City Royals.
In addition to admission to the game, a ticket purchase nets the fan a green-colored t-shirt with the Tigers’ famous logo on the front and the logo and mission statement of local non-profit, Greening of Detroit, on the back. That mission is to is “to enhance the quality of life for Detroiters by planting trees, providing job training and involving our youth in the education of the natural environment.” The Tigers will make a donation to Greening of Detroit for each ticket sold to the Earth Day game.
The T-shirt that will be given to fans who attend the Tigers-Royals game at Comerica Park in Detroit on Earth Day (Photo credit: Greening of Detroit)
The partnership makes in ways that go far beyond “let’s do something nice for Earth Day.” The Tigers get that the Greening of Detroit is not only the name of a non-profit but also an important part of the rebirth of the city.
Detroit, is, as you are well aware, a poster child for Rust Belt manufacturing-related job losses. As a result, its population dropped an astounding 62.5 percent from its 1950 high of 1.8 million to an estimated 675,000 in 2016.
The city has started a what will be a long, slow comeback and the green economy is a core facet of that renaissance. Greening of Detroit is well-positioned to play an important role since urban agriculture is thriving in the Motor City.
I know what you’re thinking.
“Urban agriculture? In cold, decaying Detroit? No way.”
YES WAY!
Two results of the population decline are 1) an abundance of empty land lots and abandoned warehouses, and 2) increased hunger and malnutrition.
This has created the space and the imperative for urban agriculture. With the help groups like Greening of Detroit, that space is beginning to be filled.
An article in the July 13, 2017 issue of The Green Economy explains that, “Farms and gardens along empty lots teach residents — many of whom have never seen a melon sprout or lettuce grow — about fresh produce, while warehouses for hydroponics growers produce food year round. A study by Michigan State University calculated that Detroit growers could supply between 31 and 76 percent of vegetables and 17 and 42 percent of fruits currently consumed by City residents, depending on the methods of production and storage used.”
So, if you’re in the Detroit area on Earth Day, head on over to Comerica Park!
