The main mission of the Philadelphia Eagles is to win football games, up to and including the Super Bowl. That’s what the fans expect, and every year they spend millions of dollars to try to make that possible. However, over the past few years, and especially last week, the Eagles have led the way in the NFL (National Football League) for how they incorporate sustainability and environmental awareness into their operations.
Last week, they announced a Declaration of Energy Independence. The commitment to make Lincoln Financial Field (the Eagles home stadium) powered by a combination of wind, solar, and dual-fuel energy is very impressive. The myriad accomplishments of the Eagles Go Green initiative, including but not limited to supporting renewable energy credits for employees, minimizing pesticides in field maintenance, and using 100% recycled paper for soft tissue products are also noteworthy.
Even more important from my perspective is that the Eagles are essentially challenging the entire global sports community to be a role model for renewable energy sources and creating a more sustainable environment. As (co) owner Christina Lurie says, “We believe the iconic stature and universal appeal of professional sports can become a powerful, visible, motivating example of how renewable energy sources can replace fossil fuels and create a cleaner, sustainable environment for people everywhere.”
Millions of fans follow their sports teams very closely. Hopefully, some of those other teams and their fans will follow the Eagles’ example by looking for ways to incorporate sustainability.
Links:
SustainableWritings 