Super Bowl Week-Greenest Stadiums in America

It is Super Bowl week. The countdown is on! We are T-minus four days until Super Bowl XLV. Do you have Super Bowl fever?

We have been to and watched games at giant stadiums around the country for many years but have you ever stopped to wonder who is doing anything to make them more efficient?

All eyes will be on Cowboys Stadium when the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Green Bay Packers. That very sports arena ranks in the top five green stadiums on a list compiled by SunRun, a national home solar company.

SunRun ranked the stadiums according to the depth and breadth of green initiatives, taking into account – of course – solar. We are after all a home solar company.

1. Qwest Field, Home of the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Mariners – The stadium has installed solar panels to help the building offset double-digit percentage increases in electric rates.

2. Lincoln Financial Field, Home of The Philadelphia Eagles – In 2008, the Eagles produced 97 percent of their energy through renewable sources. The team also calculates their travel emissions and plants trees to offset their carbon footprint.

3. STAPLES Center, Home of the LA Lakers – Was awarded ISO 14001 Certification in 2010 for the third-party review of its Environmental Management System (EMS), making it the first U.S. arena to receive the respected accreditation.

4. Nationals Stadium, home of The Washington Nationals –The stadium is building LEED certification and has an in-house recycling center.

5. Cowboys Stadium, Home of the Dallas Cowboys – The $650 million stadium is aiming to reduce solid waste by 25%, energy use by 20% and water consumption by 1 million gallons annually.

6. Qualcomm Stadium, Home of the San Diego Chargers – The stadium boasts 350 ninety-four gallon recycling bins in the tailgating area.

7. Gillette Stadium, Home of the New England Patriots – Recycling bags are handed out at the parking lot and solar-powered compactors collect plastic bottles and cans around the stadium.

8. Meadowlands Stadium, Shared by the New York Giants and Jets – The seats are made from recycled plastic and the Environmental Protection Agency consulted on the construction of the stadium.

9. Progressive Field, Home of The Cleveland Indians – The stadium uses recycled paper and cornstarch cups in their concession stands.

10. The Future Home of the San Francisco 49ers – Still in its planning stages, the new stadium is slated to open in 2014 and will have solar panels and a green roof, recycled water, and a plan that would have almost a fourth of all fans arriving via public transport.

SOURCE: SunRun, www.sunrunhome.com