Superbowl XLVIII May Be the Greenest Yet

January 28, 2014

By Brianna Bigelow 1-28-14

The Big Game is coming up and football fans know what that means: gather up the chips, dip, drinks, and…biodiesel? This year the Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium could be the greenest yet.

February 2nd will feature Super Bowl XLVIII with the Seattle Seahawks taking on the Denver Broncos for the league title. Another high-stake, but much less public battle will also be housed in the stadium that day: the NFL vs. environmental waste.

MetLife Stadium signed a Memorandum of Understanding on June 1, 2009, with the United States Environmental Protection Agency, according to the stadium’s website. In this agreement the stadium pledged “to become an environmental steward by implementing a number of green initiatives that would reduce its carbon footprint and further improve our planet’s environment.”

Jeff Tittel, Chapter Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, has long criticized Governor Chris Christie’s environmental policies in the state. However, he believes that the NFL really is doing its part to make this show one that is fun for the fans and safe for the environment.

“The field is not the only thing green at the Super Bowl this year––the NFL is,” said Tittel. “Recycling, composting, and reducing carbon pollution are on the agenda along with the big game. The NFL knows it is the right thing to do and it is popular with the fans.”

Steps being taken to make this game the greenest yet include the planting of more than 27,000 trees to offset carbon emissions. This Super Bowl will also feature the composting of all of the food waste produced on game day––the first time that this has ever been done. According to personnel at the stadium, in the past year the facility composted 195 tons of waste.

This year’s game will prove to be a showdown on more playing fields than one.