Unlike Ranger Bob (who found this), I'm not a professional football fan -- that ended with starting graduate school. While I won't be watching the game today (since I haven't watched any others, and know nothing about either team), I'm glad to find out that it will be played on a very green field:
When the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks hit the turf in Super Bowl XL on Sunday, their helmets and shoulder pads will collide with 300,000 pounds of recycled rubber tires.Other features include extremely energy-efficient heating and cooling, and bathroom stalls made partially from recycled plastic. I like this particularly because it will serve to educate many people that likely aren't paying a whole lot of attention to sustainable development: I don't want to stereotype football fans, but I'm that they're much more representative of the public at large which is still catching on to these ideas. Looks like the NFL is also working on the environmental impact of the game itself. Next step: a movement to green Super Bowl parties...?
Detroit's Ford Field is one of the most environmentally-conscious stadiums in the country. More than 25,000 recycled tires, along with silica sand, make up the three-inch-deep carpet known as "FieldTurf" -- an innovative, environmentally-friendly alternative to previous artificial playing surfaces, according to Andy Acho, worldwide director of Environmental Outreach and Strategy, Ford Motor Company.
"There was no question that this new stadium would be an environmental leader, an example of innovative recycling and other green techniques," said Acho. He and others at Ford Motor Company served as environmental advisors in the construction of the Detroit Lions' home stadium.
It wasn't just a matter of recycling materials. The builders of Ford Field actually recycled part of an unused building. The south portion of the facility incorporates 750,000 square feet of the old J. L. Hudson department store warehouse.
The entire facility utilized 20 million pounds of recycled steel in the ceiling and 10 million pounds in the concrete frame. Recycled glass was mixed into the terrazzo flooring installed on the club and suite levels. Portions of the parking lot used recycled rubber. Floors in the suites and elevator foyers are made of bamboo, a fast-growing, renewable wood.
Categories: NFL, super bowl, green, recycled, environmental, ford field, Detroit
