ENN: Environmental News Network -- Know Your Environment

I admit I am not the biggest fan of sports, so last night when my brother suggested that we change the channel to watch the Nets-Celtics game, I wasn’t very excited. Then my brother sparked my attention by adding that this week was NBA Green Week. I asked him if he was sure because Earth Day is not until the 22^nd. He assured me he was right by pointing out the recycle emblem on the court floor and the banners in the stands. I was intrigued and hoped that there was more to NBA’s Green Week then just being a marketing ploy.

According to their website, the NBA Green Week Initiative is now in its fifth year. This year’s Green Week began last Thursday, April 4, and goes through until Friday, the 12^th. As part of a Green Initiative the NBA has partnered with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), an international nonprofit environmental organization. For Green Week, the NBA and NRDC hope to generate awareness and funds for protecting the environment by promoting team and player initiatives like in-arena awareness nights, recycling programs, and team service projects.

For Green Week, all NBA players will be wearing organic cotton shirts for pre-game shooting practice before putting on their normal jerseys which are made from 60% recycled materials. In conjunction with NRDC, the NBA launched Mosaic, an online tool to help NBA teams monitor and analyze their carbon footprint. Teams like the Denver Nuggets will be visiting the local botanical gardens to educate children on gardening and the environment, while the Indiana Pacers will be assisting the Concord Neighborhood Center with planting flowers, playground clean-up, putting down mulch, painting and recycling clean-up.

NBA Green Week is trying to set the groundwork for the NBA and its fans to think green all year long.  By providing educational materials and encouraging stadiums to think more efficiently, NBA Green Week is attempting to take a green step in the right direction. The NBA has millions of fans from around the world (remember Kim Jung-Un’s bro-mance with Dennis Rodman?), giving the NBA a unique opportunity to reach out to an audience that may care more about “making threes than planting tree’s”.

Note: Being that Earth Day is a little over a week away, I have decided to combine this article with my Earth Day Article.  Like last year, I have compiled a list of Earth Day Events happening in Cities throughout the United States.  Please feel free to share what you plan to do this year for Earth Day in our comments section. Enjoy!

* This year there will be no march on Washington DC because they will be celebrating Earth Month Instead of Earth Day

** Because Earth Day falls on a Monday this year, many of the Earth Day events are being held the prior weekend

1. Albany, New York
2. Alexandria, Virginia
3. Atlanta, Georgia
4. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
5.  Cincinnati, Ohio
6. Dallas, Texas
7. Durham,  North Carolina
8. Eugene Oregon
9. Jacksonville, Florida
10. Lincoln, Nebraska
11. Phoenix, Arizona
12. Reno, Nevada
13. St. Louis, Missouri

Baskteball Earth via Shutterstock

by Maddie Perlman-Gabel