As I wrote in my inaugural post for this blog, the more the green movement gains steam as a pop culture phenomenon, illustrating green lifestyle as a beneficial trend rather than a divisive political issue, the more likely it is that the importance of the message will trickle down to those who are uneducated about environmentalism.

Thanks to an economic recession that has left the country reeling, city and state governments are finally taking the environment seriously by imposing green standards on any new buildings, hoping to significantly cut energy costs and carbon emissions as a way to save money. This newfound environmental awareness has carried over to sports franchises, where many teams in the three major sports, baseball, basketball, and football, are setting precedent by acceding to the environmental demands of their respective cities. While the primary motivation may be to create a more cost-effective business model, with the clout that sports teams carry with their fans, the potential is there to leave a green footprint and help promote a sustainable way of life.

The Phillies and Yankees are in the midst of a dogfight for the championship, but how many fans knew that they are also battling for the top spot in the Greenest Team sweepstakes? According to a recent report by MLB.com, the Phillies are the only carbon-neutral team in the major leagues since 2008. The team's success in this area can be partially attributed to an increased emphasis on recycling, with 35 recycling containers placed around the city, and 16-17 percent recycling rate, as well as using biodegradable plastic on food utensils and shopping bags, and selling locally grown and organic food products. The Phillies have also purchased 20 million killowatts of renewable energy credits that will offset all of the electricity used during the 2008 season, the largest purchase of 100% renewable energy in pro sports. 

The two brand new stadiums in New York City, the new Yankee Stadium and the Mets' Citi Field, have followed suit with green initiatives of their own. Yankee Stadium has installed lighting improvements that save 207,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per night. They have also recycled 8,879 gallons of cooking oil to create 7,192 gallons of biodiesel fuel. Citi Field is built from 95% recycled steel and has 65,000 square feet of porous pavers on the field and a 3,700 square foot drainage bed to control stormwater runoff. It almost makes up for the tean's controversial naming rights scandal in wake of Citibank's government bailout. 

NBA and NFL teams are following suit with prospective stadiums and arenas. The Orlando Magic awarded HOK Sport, a pioneer in eco-friendly sports venues, with the opportunity to build their new arena, hoping to grab the coveted LEED certification that measures building sustainability. The new Meadowlands stadium for the New York Giants and Jets has also set goals of installing seating made from recycled plastic and scrap iron and cutting water usage by 25% in order to become one of the greenest venues in the NFL. Similarly, the San Francisco 49ers have included a green roof in their plan for a new stadium.

The most encouraging development is that established stadiums and arenas such as the Miami Heat's AmericanAirlines Arena, the Cleveland Indians' Progressive Field, and the nation's oldest stadium, the Boston Red Sox Fenway Park, are striving for green certification, proving that old dogs can learn new (green) tricks. Installing solar panels and increasing recycling output are things that all stadiums can easily do to become more sustainable, and it is certainly a positive sign that teams are becoming more cognizant of these options.

So what does this mean for the future of the green movement? Imagine that instead of hawking cell phones, sneakers, or Under Armour, Lebron James, Peyton Manning, and Albert Pujols became the faces of a green future. You think that will get people to pay attention to environmental issues? Athletes are paid millions of dollars to play their respective sport but also to serve as role models for their fans. The three major sports all have very strong community service initiatives, such as the NBA's reading program, the NFL's partnership with the Boys and Girls Club for America and MLB's RBI program. It would be a waste of these resources if those leagues did nothing to further green education, especially given the steps they have already taken. Why stop at green venues? We need green fans.

Teams should also educate their own players on how to live green. Every league has a rookie symposium that serves as a seminar for new players on adjusting to life in professional sports. If every symposium included a segment on being a positive green influence, or better yet mandated it as part of the community service requirement for every league, we may see less athletes on MTV cribs showing off their gas guzzling SUV's. Tom Brady driving a Prius? Dare to dream...