Super Bowl XLIII the Greenest Yet?

by Geneva B | February 2, 2009 at 10:05 am
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Yesterday's record-breaking Super Bowl has possibly broken yet another record as being the most environmentally conscious game yet. While the NFL took some steps to offset their carbon footprint, Tampa Bay's Raymond James Stadium has been raising the bar for green standards longer than most.

Over the past five years, efficiency measures like smarter use of chillers and better lighting have saved the stadium $580,000, officials estimated. (That’s roughly the price of 300 low-end Super Bowl tickets available Friday for resale on Stub Hub.)

The stadium’s electric bill has risen by just 23 percent in five years, better than the average increases of 42 percent.

“Those are things that the fan doesn’t really notice or see, but we’re certainly making a big impact on the bottom line,” said Mickey Farrell, the director of the stadium operations, who has been working with Johnson Controls, a company specialized in energy efficiency, to put in state-of-the-art efficiency systems — including L.E.D. lighting, which is now used in some of the stadium’s colorful displays.

One particular challenge, Mr. Farrell said, is Tampa Bay’s humid climate. The goal is to use the “least amount of power we possibly can to make sure the humidity is controlled,” he added.

Recycling and composting are also being deployed on game day. Plates, napkins and even forks and straws are supposed to be biodegradable — and cooking grease is to be recycled. Plastic drink bottles will also be recycled, stadium officials said.

This is a welcome step forward for the sports industry as traditional modes of operation become increasingly outdated in our changing world.

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