By Aramark

Washington, D.C. (October 14, 2021) ? World Resources Institute (WRI) announced that its ?Cool Food Meals? badge will next roll out on the menus of major food companies Aramark and Nestlé Professional and Sweden-based restaurant chain MAX Burgers. The Cool Food Meals badge identifies dishes with a lower carbon footprint, in line with what WRI research finds is needed by 2030 to meet the Paris Agreement on climate change. 

?Because agriculture drives a quarter of all annual greenhouse gas emissions, it will be impossible to meet climate targets without reducing food-related emissions,? said Edwina Hughes, Head of Cool Food at WRI. ?The Cool Food Meals label helps diners easily spot climate-friendly dishes when dining out. It?s a simple way that food companies can point customers toward food choices that are better for the planet.?

?In 2008 MAX was the first restaurant in the world to climate label its own menu. We have been waiting 13 years for a credible third-party certified climate labeling on food and finally it is here,? said Kaj Török, Chief Sustainability Officer at MAX Burgers. ?The Cool Food Meals badge can now become the global standard for climate labeling on food and MAX is thrilled to be the first restaurant to bring it to Europe.?

With animal-based foods accounting for two-thirds of agriculture-related greenhouse gas emissions, choosing foods like legumes and vegetables that are less resource intensive to produce is an easy action consumers can take to lower their personal carbon footprint.

Global foodservice company Aramark has increased its climate-healthy plant-forward menu options through its Healthy for Life® initiative. Currently, 34% of main dishes the company serves on menus at workplaces, hospital cafes, and university dining halls in the United States are vegetarian or vegan.

?Reducing Aramark?s impact on the planet is a critical priority. Beginning in January, we will make it easier for our guests to make climate-friendly choices by rolling out Cool Food Meals on dining hall menus at 10 U.S.-based universities,? said Ash Hanson, Chief Diversity & Sustainability Officer at Aramark.  ?Our innovative move to more plant-forward menus is better for people?s health?and it is also good for the planet. Our plant-forward menu options not only meet consumer tastes, but they also reduce greenhouse gas emissions, minimize demand for water and land resources and preserve natural habitats.?

To identify which meals qualify as Cool Food Meals, WRI uses a dish?s ingredients list to calculate its carbon footprint by analyzing the emissions from the agricultural supply chains and the land used to produce the meal. If a dish?s carbon footprint falls below an established per-meal threshold and meets a nutrition safeguard, it is approved as a Cool Food Meal. The per-meal threshold is based upon a maximum recommended daily carbon footprint for a person?s diet, which is 38% smaller than the current average. For breakfast in the United States, this is 3.59 kg CO₂e/portion and for lunch or dinner it is 5.38 kg CO₂e/portion. This is in line with what WRI?s research has found is needed by 2030 to help meet the Paris Agreement on climate change.  

Nestlé Professional is the first food manufacturer to take on the role of Cool Foods Meal Ambassador and will focus on providing foodservice operators scores of Cool Food Meal-certified recipes that feature Sweet Earth Awesome Burger, Grounds and Mindful Chik?n products.

?Nestlé Professional is thrilled to be able to offer foodservice operators the ability to quickly update their menus with Cool Foods Meals-certified recipes. This partnership is about working together throughout the foodservice industry to create measurable progress on climate change,? said Perry Miele, President of Nestlé Professional ? USA.

The Cool Food Meals badge first launched on Panera Bread menus in the United States in October 2020. Fifty-five percent of Panera entrees are certified as Cool Food Meals, including fan favorites like the Chipotle Chicken Avocado Melt and the Broccoli Cheddar Soup. 

?It?s been exciting to see just how well consumers have received the Cool Food Meals-labeled dishes on Panera?s app and in stores,? said Sara Burnett, Vice President, Food Beliefs, Sustainability and PR at Panera Bread. ?Panera warmly embraces the new Cool Food Meal partners as we can now reach customers across new countries and access points, from restaurants to universities. With each new partner and Cool Foods Meal choice, we unite to reduce the footprint of food in our fight against the climate crisis.?

Through its Cool Food initiative, WRI also leads the Cool Food Pledge, which helps restaurants, hospitals, hotels, universities, and cities tap the latest behavioral science to cut emissions from the food they serve. Strategies range from changing menu layouts and using appetizing language to help consumers more often choose low-carbon options, to offering more plant-focused meals. 

Bank of America, Brandeis University, Brigham and Women?s Hospital, Brigham and Women?s Faulkner Hospital, Froedtert Hospital, Morristown Medical Center, Peace Health Southwest Medical Center, RobinFood, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, University of Vermont Medical Center, and Williams College are the newest members to sign on to the Cool Food Pledge, which launched in 2018. 

Together, Cool Food Pledge members are making 977 million meals more sustainable each year. Data for 2020 show that the bulk of Cool Food Pledge members have already collectively reduced their food-related emissions by 16% per plate, which is ahead of the pace needed to meet the group?s target of reducing overall emissions by 25% by 2030.

?The next frontier in climate action is happening on people?s plates. With Cool Food Meals now on menus in burger restaurants to football stadiums, and so many institutions also making huge changes to their dining environments through the Cool Food Pledge, many more people will get the chance to put their climate action ambitions into practice when they dine out,? said Hughes. 

About World Resources Institute 

WRI is a global research organization that spans more than 60 countries, with offices in Brazil, China, Europe, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, the United States and more. Our more than 800 experts and staff work closely with leaders to turn big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity and human well-being. More information is available at www.wri.org. 

About Aramark
Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) proudly serves the world?s leading educational institutions, Fortune 500 companies, world champion sports teams, prominent healthcare providers, iconic destinations and cultural attractions, and numerous municipalities in 19 countries around the world with food, facilities, and uniform services. Because our culture is rooted in service, our employees strive to do great things for each other, our partners, our communities, and our planet. Aramark has been named to DiversityInc?s ?Top 50 Companies for Diversity? list, the Forbes list of ?America?s Best Employers for Diversity,? the HRC?s ?Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality? and scored 100% on the Disability Equality Index. Learn more at www.aramark.com and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Read the original press release here

The post ?Cool Food Meals? Badge Coming to Aramark, MAX Burgers and Nestlé Professional Menus, Helping Consumers Choose Climate-Friendly Foods appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By Philip McGowan

The most sustainable sports venue in the world to feature new phade® marine biodegradable and compostable straws and stirrers to advance sustainability initiatives

STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga., September 30, 2021–(BUSINESS WIRE)–WinCup, Inc., an Atlanta metro-based company, is pleased to announce its sponsorship of the Atlanta Falcons to introduce phade®, the world?s first marine biodegradable, home and industrial compostable drinking straws and stirrers to Mercedes-Benz Stadium beginning in August 2021. Falcons? fans and other stadium attendees will be the latest beneficiaries of a growing movement of sustainable practices being adopted across the sports industry. Made with PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate), a biodegradable resin derived from the fermentation of canola oil, phade® sustainable drinking straws and stirrers maintain the feel and user experience of traditional plastic equivalents but will safely return to nature through composting.

“Sports venues are starting to return to full capacity, and as we welcome both new and returning fans, we have committed to protecting their health, as well as the health of our shared planet,” said Mace Aluia, Vice President of Corporate Partnership Sales at AMB Sports + Entertainment. “As part of that initiative, we are excited that Mercedes-Benz Stadium will offer sustainable, innovative products such as phade® straws and stirrers, which help address the plastics pollution crisis.”

The sponsorship reflects the growing demand for viable alternatives to single-use petroleum-based plastics. Both paper straws and vegetable-based polylactic acid (PLA) straws present performance and sustainability challenges that phade® overcomes. Paper straws get soggy and can collapse during use, and biodegradation performance varies because of adhesives and other unknown chemical additives that may be used in the straws.

“We take a lot of pride in being named the most sustainable sports venue in the world, and we have achieved that through the integration of products like phade®,” said Dawn Brown, Director of Sustainability at Mercedes Benz Stadium. “The Atlanta Falcons and WinCup are a natural fit because both organizations are proven leaders in environmental innovation and action.”

Mercedes-Benz Stadium is the first professional sports stadium to receive the LEED Platinum certification. Created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the most widely used green building rating system. As the home to the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United® of MLS and many of the world?s top sports and entertainment events, this partnership with phade® will further the stadium?s ongoing sustainability initiatives.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Atlanta Falcons® in their continued quest to be the best environmental steward in the sports industry. Our sponsorship provides us a platform to provide meaningful, sustainable solutions to teams, venues, leagues and their fans, starting right here in Atlanta,” said Michael Winters, WinCup President and Chief Revenue Officer. “We look forward to seeing the continued adoption of eco-friendly products such as phade® expanding in the sports world, and into communities across the US and countries throughout the world to help reduce global plastic pollution.”

The development of phade® involved a rigorous testing and certification process. TÜV AUSTRIA, a globally recognized independent third-party certifying body, certified phade® as both industrial and backyard compostable in a matter of months. Additionally, the Biodegradable Products Institute Inc. (BPI) has certified phade® as industrially compostable.

“What makes phade® so revolutionary is that it?s made with PHA,” explained Brad Laporte, WinCup?s Chief Executive Officer. “Unlike with petroleum-based straws ? which take hundreds of years to biodegrade ? phade® straws generally biodegrade in a matter of months in environments where bacteria are present and can use PHA as a food source. With WinCup?s national footprint and extensive manufacturing experience within the foodservice industry, we have the infrastructure in place to scale phade® as market demand continues to increase.”

The Falcons? partnership with WinCup is particularly fitting considering the role the state of Georgia plays in creating the phade® straw. Bainbridge-based biotech company Danimer Scientific (NYSE: DNMR), a global leader in PHA technology, creates the canola-based PHA resin using its Nodax® biopolymer, sourced by WinCup to manufacture the straws and stirrers. TÜV AUSTRIA certified Nodax® as industrial and home compostable, as well as soil, freshwater and marine biodegradable. The unique sustainable qualities of Nodax® PHA and the phade® straw and stirrer have attracted the attention of global restaurant brands that are turning to the straw as a high-performing biodegradable alternative to traditional petroleum-based straws.

WinCup has won numerous awards for the development and launch of phade®, including the 2021 Innovation in FoodService Award for Sustainability Solutions from the National Restaurant Association and SmartBrief. Most recently, WinCup?s phade® brand was recognized out of a pool of more than 4,000 global entries by Fast Company Magazine as a finalist or honorable mention winner in the “World Changing Ideas” Consumer Products, Enduring Impact, General Excellence and World Changing Ideas categories.

About WinCup, Inc.

WinCup, Inc. which is headquartered in Stone Mountain, Georgia, has recently been acquired by Atar Capital, a Los Angeles based global private investment firm. Among Atar?s core principles is a commitment to sustainability and investing in companies that work toward protecting the environment. WinCup is a leading manufacturer of traditional and sustainable disposable cups, bowls, containers, lids, and straws. The company’s eight manufacturing locations are committed to high-quality products and superior customer service. To learn more, please visit www.wincup.com and www.phadeproducts.com.

Read the original press release here

The post WinCup, Inc.?s phade® Straws and Stirrers to be a Proud Sponsor of the Atlanta Falcons® at Mercedes Benz Stadium appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By ESPN

TALLADEGA, Ala. — The hard part wasn’t dodging his way around a crash and then driving to the front of the field at Talladega Superspeedway. That was just instinct for Bubba Wallace.

The challenge was the 45 minutes after Wallace took the lead, when the sky opened and he anxiously sat in the rain — hoping, wishing, praying — that NASCAR would call off Monday’s rescheduled race and declare him the winner.

With a crowd gathered behind his pit stand chanting its support — one man told his 6-year-old son, clad in a Wallace shirt and jumping up and down along the fence, that he was “witnessing history” — NASCAR pulled the plug and Wallace became just the second Black driver to win a race at the Cup Series level.

“Got some credibility to my name now,” said Wallace, a first-time Cup winner in his 143 starts. “I’m just like, ‘Finally, I’m a winner and I’m a winner in the Cup level,’ and it’s just like ‘Hell yeah!’ It was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.”

This was so much more than just a first win.

Wallace is the first Black driver to win at the top level of the elite stock car series since Wendell Scott in 1963, a race in which he wasn’t declared the victor until long after Buck Baker had already been awarded the trophy. NASCAR at last presented Scott’s family with his trophy from that race two months ago.

“You can’t swim standing on the Bank!!” tweeted Warrick Scott Sr., who is Scott’s grandson. “RIP Wendell Scott. Congratulations @bubbawallace!!” A second post showed his grandfather leaning against a car and read: “PaPa was there the whole time chilling in the rain.”

Wallace’s victory garnered praise from a range of voices on social media, including Bill Lester, a Black driver who raced intermittently in NASCAR from 1999 through a Truck series start this season.

“Finally, it’s official, you’ve done it!” Lester posted. “So proud of you and what you’ve accomplished. Your win moves the @NASCAR needle forward on so many fronts. Glad I was a witness.”

As much as Wallace wanted the moment to be solely about his first career win, he couldn’t ignore its significance in a predominantly white sport with deep Southern roots and a longtime embrace of Confederate symbols.

“It’s definitely been tough going to some of the tracks this year, we get some of the most boos now,” Wallace said. “Everybody says as long as they’re making noise that’s fine, but you know, I get booed for different reasons, and that’s the tough thing to swallow. I appreciate all those who were there doing the rain dance with us, pulling for us, supporting me my whole career, but especially those who have supported me with everything that’s gone on the last 15-16 months.”

In June 2020 at Talladega, NASCAR discovered a noose in the garage stall assigned to Wallace. The finding came just a week after NASCAR had banned the Confederate flag at its events at Wallace’s urging.

The FBI investigated and found that the noose was tied at the end of the garage door pull and had been there for months, meaning Wallace was not a victim of a hate crime. Still, the series rallied around him and stood in solidarity with Wallace at the front of the grid before the race.

The flag ban continues to be an issue at Talladega, where a convoy of vehicles has paraded up and down Speedway Boulevard outside the main entrance of the speedway during all four race weekends since NASCAR announced the ban. The convoy was back this weekend and included one car pulling a trailer that contained a Civil War-era cannon.

Wallace has called the noose incident a low point, and he has been subjected to online harassment that last year even included a tweet from then-President Donald Trump that falsely accused Wallace of making up the noose. Although Wallace never saw the noose and was only told about it by NASCAR president Steve Phelps after the FBI had been summoned to investigate, he has been accused by many in the public of orchestrating a hoax.

When Monday’s race was halted with Wallace as the leader, social media was ablaze with comments attacking the 27-year-old Alabama native whose birthday is later this week.

“They just are haters. That’s all you can really say about it,” said Denny Hamlin, Wallace’s team co-owner and a fellow driver. “I try to say to him, ‘Don’t get your motivation trying to prove haters wrong. Instead get your motivation from trying to do the people that support you proud.’

“That’s where the motivation is going to come from, is the people that are going to support you through the good times and the bad times,” Hamlin said.

Wallace had driven through a crash and to the front of the field five laps before the second rain stoppage of the race. When he surged to the front, and with the entire field realizing that rain could halt the race at any time, runner-up Brad Keselowski recognized Wallace had likely just won the race with his pass.

“I was thinking, ‘Oh, geez. I wish I would have made that move,'” Keselowski said. “(His) was the right move at the right time.”

NASCAR tried to dry the track for almost 45 minutes but called things off as sunset approached and the rain showed no sign of ceasing.

Wallace had been waiting atop his pit stand and celebrated wildly with his crew when the decision came. Wallace is in his first season driving for 23XI Racing, a team owned by both Hamlin and Michael Jordan.

“I’m so happy for Bubba and our entire 23XI Racing team. This is a huge milestone and a historic win for us,” Jordan said in a tweeted statement. “From the day we signed him, I knew Bubba had the talent to win and Denny and I could not be more proud of him. Let’s go!”

ESPN Stats & Information

Wallace broke down in tears after he returned to his parked No. 23 Toyota, the car number picked for Jordan, who wore 23 in the NBA.

“This is for all the kids out there that want to have an opportunity and whatever they want to achieve, and be the best at what they want to do,” Wallace said as he choked back tears. “You’re going to go through a lot of bulls—. But you always got to stick true to your path and not let the nonsense get to you.

“Stay strong. Stay humble. Stay hungry. Been plenty of times when I wanted to give up.”

Wallace went to a makeshift victory lane inside an empty garage stall to celebrate with his team, which made a personnel change three races ago and named Bootie Barker his crew chief. It was the first victory for Barker in more than 400 races as a Cup crew chief.

The organization was formed a year ago and Wallace was the centerpiece based on all the corporations that entered NASCAR in support of Wallace and his social justice efforts. 23XI will expand to two cars next season with former series champion Kurt Busch joining the team.

No playoff drivers won a race at Talladega this weekend — Trucks, Xfinity and Cup all had first-time winners for the first time at the same track on the same weekend. Only Hamlin is locked into the third round of the Cup playoffs headed into next week’s elimination race at Charlotte, North Carolina.

Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 winner, celebrated with Wallace following his own seventh-place finish.

The post Bubba Wallace wins at Talladega, becomes second Black driver to win NASCAR Cup race appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By Amy Weaver | Office of Communications and Marketing

A new report from Auburn University illustrates how it is addressing the United Nations? sustainable development goals.

The document, completed this summer, highlights the extent to which Auburn is engaged with each of the UN?s 17 sustainable development goals, or SDGs. The UN adopted the goals in 2015 as a path to address global challenges and achieve a better, more sustainable future for all by 2030.

Auburn demonstrated moderate or high engagement in the goals for: Zero Hunger; Good Health and Wellbeing; Clean Water and Sanitation; Decent Work and Economic Growth; Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; Reduced Inequalities; Sustainable Cities and Communities; Responsible Consumption and Production; Life Below Water; Life on Land; and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

Mike Kensler, director of the Office of Sustainability, said it is imperative to know where Auburn stands in its engagement with the various SDGs because it allows the university to identify opportunities for continued and future engagement.

?We are excited to document all the ways Auburn University is engaged with the rest of the world to address these challenges and transform them for a better world,? he said.  ?We are not surprised by this level of contribution, but we are gratified. There is still work to be done.?

Auburn?s Academic Sustainability Program, Hunger Solutions Institute in the College of Human Sciences and Office of Sustainability collaborated to measure the university?s engagement with the goals. They collected and analyzed data related to the goals in teaching, research and outreach from every college, school and department, including courses, majors, minors, graduate programs, faculty research, centers and institutes and student organizations at the university from 2016-18.

The group is currently gathering data for the 2019-21 engagement report, which could be completed by fall 2022.

The Office of Sustainability will continue its work to push campus forward on all goals, with the Hunger Solutions Institute, or HSI, taking the lead on SGD 2, Zero Hunger.

?SDG 2 is central to the mission of HSI, which is to leverage collective efforts of postsecondary education institutions to promote the adoption and advancement of best practices to address food and nutrition security,? said Alicia Powers, HSI?s managing director. ?We are poised to continue expansion of our work toward Zero Hunger on Auburn?s campus, in our surrounding community and throughout Alabama, the country and globally.?

Auburn took a major step in its commitment to addressing the goals in 2019, when it joined the U.S. chapter of the U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network, or SDSN. Auburn?s involvement allows faculty to collaborate with network scholars and organizations around the world in efforts to fulfill the SDGs at local, national and global scales.

The Office of Sustainability created a new landing page to illustrate Auburn?s work in each of the 17 goals. The office plans to mark Campus Sustainability Month with a social media campaign, focused on Auburn?s activities in SDGs, throughout October.

Additionally, the Be Well Hut will feature the SDGs on the Haley Concourse on Wednesday, Sept. 29.

Read the original article here

The post Auburn University tackling United Nations? Sustainable Development Goals appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By Matt McMullen, Chiefs Reporter

“We’ve made it a long-term goal to become a more environmentally conscious organization, and while significant change doesn’t just happen overnight, we’ve made countless strides in our recycling and sustainability efforts over the years,” said Chiefs President Mark Donovan. “Often times, this work goes unheralded and unnoticed because so much of it happens behind the scenes, but it’s important to recognize our stadium operations team, our stadium services team and our community allies who make our facilities and our tailgating atmosphere as environmentally friendly as possible.”

It’s a mandate that begins in the parking lots amidst the most iconic tailgating experience in the country, as game day employees distribute bags meant for recyclable items for fans to use prior to kickoff. Fans then leave the bags by their tailgate for the cleaning crew to collect once the game is underway, streamlining the waste diversion process.

In fact, waste diversion has been a major focus of the Chiefs’ conservation efforts. The term ? which simply means separating items that can be recycled or composted from those that are sent to a landfill ? is a critical aspect of what the organization is striving to achieve when it comes to protecting our environment.

“I think first and foremost, it’s about having the proper processes,” said Stadium Services Coordinator Matt Hawkins. “Going through the numbers of what comes in and what your waste stream is, you really get a chance to delegate how things are done. With ours, about 98 percent of the stuff from the front of the house is compostable or recyclable. That helps us determine how much trash is going to the landfill and how much we can divert.”

Those processes have been working, too, as the Chiefs have managed to divert more than half of their total waste to be recycled or composted in recent years.

“[Matt Hawkins’] efforts directly translate into the amount of waste diversion that we are able to set aside,” said Brandon Hamilton, the Chiefs’ Vice President of Stadium Operations. “In the last couple years, we’ve averaged between 50 and 60 percent waste diversion. We average over 800 tons of total waste a year, so over 400 tons of that is going to either recycling or compost.”

Those conservation efforts also extend to the Chiefs’ energy consumption, from simple measures such as swapping out halogen lights for LEDs to making entire systems more efficient.

“We’ve converted whole systems from electric to gas,” said Stadium Systems Manager Chris Bryans. “For example, we have a heated field, and we have an additional boiler that wasn’t really being used. It was a lot of potential heat that was being wasted, so we tied that boiler into the chilled water system that we use to cool the stadium, and in the wintertime, instead of using our electric heaters on the club level, we can use the boiler as a heating system.”

That workaround ? which is called “loop heating” ? means that the Chiefs don’t need to use 200 electric heaters on game day, saving a tremendous amount of energy and thousands of dollars a month. Additionally, the Chiefs are using automated systems that utilize cool air from the outside ? such as when temperatures drop in the middle of the night ? to later re-distribute as a cooling measure when it heats up the next day, lowering energy demands when it comes to air conditioning.

Andrew Mather/Kansas City Chiefs

It all adds up to significant savings ? both in terms of energy and dollars ? that demonstrate the worth of these thoughtful and creative initiatives.

“We’ve had between $200,000 and $400,000 a year in energy savings because of the measures Chris Bryans’ team has taken,” Hamilton said. “It’s pretty impressive.”

The list goes on as well, including employee conservation days that send Chiefs’ staff members out into the community to plant trees and “E-recycling,” which recycles items such as work appliances that would have otherwise been thrown away. The Chiefs also have a partnership with Harvesters that collects unserved food from concession stands and distributes it to local food pantries.

It’s all in an effort to use the Chiefs’ immense platform to not only provide a memorable experience on game day, but to also do it in a way that’s making our city a better place to live.

“We do it to be good corporate citizens. We know climate change is an issue, and we want to make a difference in our environment,” Hamilton said. “We like to lead by example, and we feel like we’re doing that.”

Read the original article here

The post The “Extra Yard for the Environment” Program Has Made the Chiefs’ Conservation Efforts Championship-Caliber appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By Sustainable Stanford

Scope 3 emissions are indirect emissions that are influenced by the university’s operations but not directly emitted by the university. There are 15 categories of scope 3 emissions, as defined in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.

In June 2020, the Board of Trustees passed a resolution calling for the university to eliminate its scope 3 emissions by the year 2050, including those related to its investment portfolio as well as other activities, while acknowledging this date may move forward as we develop knowledge and experience.  To that end, a new Scope 3 Emissions Program sponsored by the Vice President of Business Affairs and managed by the Scope 3 Emissions Program Manager was launched in 2021. A separate effort is being established to address the investment portfolio.

The Scope 3 Emissions Program has two principal objectives:

1. Reduce, mitigate or offset Stanford?s Scope 3 emissions to the maximum extent possible.
2. Establish a path that other institutions can follow in addressing their own Scope 3 emissions, through the following efforts:
   1. Communications
   2. Campus Engagement
   3. Regional Community Engagement
   4. Collaboration with other Institutions

The  Scope 3 Emissions Program will collaborate closely with multiple Stanford units, especially the Office of Sustainability,  Financial Management Services, Residential & Dining Enterprises, and Stanford?s new school focused on sustainability and climate and is guided by a Scope 3 Emissions Working Group.  The working group will help prioritize the categories to be addressed, review and approve measurement methodologies, and advise on communication and mitigation efforts.  The Working Group is initially comprised of 6 faculty, 4 staff, 1 undergraduate student, and 1 graduate student, and is staffed by the Scope 3 Emissions Program Manager.

The Scope 3 Emissions Program will initially build on work conducted in 2019-20 (and earlier in some cases) by staff in the Office of Sustainability, which was also supported by student researchers. During this time, Office of Sustainability staff evaluated calendar year 2019 (CY2019) data for six scope 3 emissions categories, which were selected based on data availability, estimated magnitude of impact, and student interest. Emissions and associated mitigation strategies in the following categories are currently under evaluation:

• Business Travel
• Student Travel
• Employee Commuting
• Waste
• Fuel & Energy Related Activities
• Purchased Goods & Services

Additional categories will be explored in coming years, including emissions from facility construction, campus leaseholders, and properties outside the main campus, among others. The Scope 3 Emissions Working Group will advise on mitigation strategies for all categories, including offsets, and will recommend and approve approaches to assessing mitigation effectiveness. Many scope 3 emissions mitigation initiatives are already underway at Stanford in conjunction with the university’s other sustainability goals; these will be expanded upon in coming years using the approach described above. Final definitions, calculation methodologies, results, and mitigation strategies for all categories will be shared widely in support of the program’s goal to establish a path others can follow. If you have inquiries or suggestions regarding scope 3 emissions, please feel free to contact scope3emissions@stanford.edu.

The post Stanford U Initiates Scope 3 Emissions Program appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By UArizona Housing & Residential Life

The University of Arizona?s department of Housing & Residential Life successfully minimized the environmental impact of a summer flooring renovation project in one of its dorms.

Project Manager LeeAnne Maier worked directly with the carpet supplier, ShawContract, to develop a circular process of carpet installation and disposal at Pima Hall. Maier was able to organize a large-scale reclamation project for the old carpet, while also installing new carpet that is able to be recycled at the end of its lifecycle. The dorm?s old carpet was collected and stored in a manner compatible with Shaw?s recycling requirements and then shipped to the company for processing.

Together, Housing and ShawContract recycled 18,000 square feet of carpet. Additionally, they downcycled another 6300 square feet of carpet into a waste to energy process. In total, 5,455 pounds of EcoWorx carpet was recycled. By recycling this carpet back into itself, this reduced the need to manufacture more virgin raw material for the replacement. The recycling project saved the equivalent of 140 gallons of gas, or enough to drive an average car across the country. 2,800 pounds of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (C02e) was also saved, which has the same environmental impact as planting an acre of trees.

?By creating a strategy of circularity and making the decisions this summer to install Cradle to Cradle Shaw Contract material, there will be an opportunity of 8.75 tons to be recycled,? said Breanna Starr, Commercial Flooring Account Manager at ShawContract.

According to The Carpet and Rug Institute, 70% of floors in the U.S. are covered with carpets and rugs. However, carpet can have a large environmental footprint, especially during the disposal process.  The EPA estimates about 5 billion pounds of carpeting goes to landfills each year, comprising 1% to 2% of total annual landfill contributions.

?This project is an example of the kind of positive outcomes that come from forethought and a good partner,? said Maier. ?If you?re working on a carpet project, it is imperative to the entire lifecycle of your carpet and work to mitigate negative environmental impacts.?

Read the original article here

The post UArizona Housing Minimizes Environmental Impact Through Dorm Carpet Recycling Project appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By North Carolina State Climate Office

North Carolina State University will lead a multi-institutional effort to develop climate resilience solutions in frontline communities in the Carolinas, thanks to a five-year, $5 million dollar grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Frontline communities refer to communities who experience the first and worst impacts of the climate crisis.

The team, which includes researchers from NC State, North Carolina Central University, UNC-Chapel Hill, the Museum of Life and Science, Furman University and South Carolina State University, is tasked with building community partnerships to advance climate resilience and health equity in the region.

?Extreme weather and climate events like heat waves and hurricanes impact every community, but not all communities are affected equally,? says Kathie Dello, director of the State Climate Office and primary investigator on the project. ?Underserved communities disproportionately feel the impacts of these events. We need to co-develop solutions with communities to protect the health and well-being of Carolinians from climate-driven disasters.?

By partnering with local communities and conducting place-based research, the team will look at how co-occurring and consecutive hazards ? such as poor infrastructure and repeated climate events such as flooding ? within a larger framework of historical discrimination, disinvestment and health inequities, shape climate risk.

?Resilience happens at the local level, but communities need help turning data into action,? says Jennifer Runkle, research scholar at the N.C. Institute of Climate Studies and co-PI on the project. ?We will first listen to communities as they describe their climate concerns, which may not be neatly untangled from other challenges. It?s an exciting and critical time to rethink local resilience by elevating the voices of our most underserved residents to ensure the health and well-being of all North Carolinians.?

In addition to developing strategies for community resilience, the team will also focus on building community-level climate literacy by implementing community-sciences programs to track physical and social science metrics.

?The experiences of underserved communities at the start of the climate crisis will be reproduced in every Carolina community as climate change impacts become more widespread,? says Louie Rivers, associate professor of forestry and environmental research at NC State and co-PI on the project.

?Climate change is happening now, and we can see the effects,? Dello says. ?By working with individual communities to create climate resilience solutions from the bottom up, we hope to provide a transferrable, national model that will protect the most vulnerable in every community from climate-driven impacts.?

The grant is administered by NOAA?s Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessment program, which supports research teams that help expand and build the nation?s capacity to prepare for and adapt to climate variability and change.

Read the original article here

The post Grant Will Fund Climate Resilience Strategies for Frontline Communities in the Carolinas appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By Ryan Faircloth, StarTribune

The University of Minnesota plans to withdraw all of its investments in fossil fuel-related companies over the next five to seven years amid pressure from students who want the school to do more to fight climate change.

The U shared details about its intention to move away from fossil fuel investments this week after student government leaders at the Twin Cities campus renewed demands for the state’s flagship university to divest from coal, oil and natural gas.

“Students and community members have been pushing for this for so many years at this point,” said senior Maddie Miller, environmental accountability committee director for the Minnesota Student Association, the U’s undergraduate student government. “This is just one really small step in the grand scheme of things.”

Across the country, college students concerned about climate change are pushing their schools to divest from fossil fuels. Harvard University said this month that it would divest its endowment from fossil fuels, while two of the U’s Big Ten peers ? Rutgers University and the University of Michigan ? have also chosen to disinvest from fossil fuel-related companies.

The Minnesota Student Association cited these previous efforts this week in a divestment letter sent to university leaders and the Board of Regents, urging them to “stand on the right side of history.”

Abdulaziz Mohamed, the U’s undergraduate student body president and one of the letter’s authors, said he was “glad the university has chosen this direction.”

“I want to thank the student leaders, particularly the climate activists, who’ve started this work to begin with,” he said.

Miller added she thinks the move is “never really going to be soon enough,” but she acknowledged the university likely cannot pull out of its investments overnight “and not have repercussions from it.”

Regents James Farnsworth and Mike Kenyanya said the university has reached a reasonable decision. Kenyanya noted it’s a more immediate timeline than the 10-year exit plan Rutgers University has adopted.

“I think we should do it as soon as possible, and if as soon as possible is five to seven years, then that’s that,” he said.

Kenyanya also praised student leaders for their persistent advocacy.

“The other week we had fires on one side of the country, a drought in the middle,” Kenyanya said. “This is the kind of activism and pressure we need.”

Read the original article here

The post Under student pressure, University of Minnesota to phase out fossil fuel investments appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By Los Angeles Clippers

Aspiration becomes first Founding Partner of the Intuit Dome, which will be the first climate positive arena

The post LA Clippers and Aspiration Set a New Standard for Social Responsibility in Sports appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

Virginia’s history, resorts and culture make it an attractive meetings destination in 2019. Read to discover the state’s best-in-class venues and other group offerings.

More...

The Texas convention center scene is a competitive market. With new developments stretching from the DFW Metroplex to West Texas, read the latest on the Lone Star State convention scene.

More...

Ahead of IMEX America 2019, Meetings Today content developer Kate Cripe got a sneak peek of the $375 million Caesars Forum. During a hard hat tour, she got a first hand look at how the conference center project, which is expected to open in March 2020, is progressing.

More...

Learn why digital display technology is one of the best ways to take your event to the next level. We explore what it can mean for branding, the attendee experience, sustainability and more.

More...

A glass sculpture titled You Are Here by Boise native Amy Westover was designed to inspire attendees and guests to look beyond the walls of the city's Boise Centre.

More...

When it comes to conference speaking, an innovative speaker stage setup can drive more and unexpected engagement. Meetings Today Chief Content Officer Christoph Trappe reports live from DES Madrid on how the "open air" concept works for attendees and presenters.

More...

Meeting and event planners working with a facility’s convention services team can help ensure their program is a success by providing some very basic, but essential, information. Maxine Compean, associate event manager for the dual-branded the DOUGLAS, Autograph Collection and the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver, offered the following six tips to keep meeting and event planners and the convention services team on the same page.

More...

Event planner Christa Mekki, founder and senior planner at Magnetic Magnificent Events, was one of the first to experience the brand-new Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC). Meetings Today reached out to Mekki for her take on the reimagined convention center.

More...

Innovation is requisite for staying ahead in the convention business. It’s second nature for Las Vegas, and it’s also the watchword for reinvention in convention markets around the U.S.

More...

AEG Facilities and SMG owner Onex announced they will merge to create ASM Global. The new company will be headquartered in Los Angeles and will operate over 300 venues across five continents that include arenas, stadiums, convention centers and performing arts centers.

More...

As the new year approaches, so does a new beginning for San Francisco’s meetings business. The long-awaited opening of an upgraded Moscone Center came in early January, as the convention complex debuted a $551 million expansion.

More...

Meetings Today Senior Contributor Jeff Heilman touched base with Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) Executive Director David Gibbons on the MCCA’s increase in group business and the future of the facility.

More...

Orlando's Orange County Convention Center is moving forward with a $605 million campus improvement plan. The project will bring expansions and new meeting and exhibit space in the North and South concourses, further increasing the center’s seven million square feet of total function space.

More...

IACC, the association that represents the global conference center segment, is set to more than double its number of European facilities within the next four months if a deal to add the supplier members of two conference center groups comes to fruition, according to IACC CEO Mark Cooper.

More...

The America’s Center Convention Complex in St. Louis will undergo an expansion and extensive renovations. The AC Next Gen Project, which will include the addition of 92,000 square feet of exhibit space, a 65,000-square-foot ballroom and meeting area, a new outdoor pavilion and 26 new loading docks, was announced during a press conference held on October 3.

More...

On a recent tour of the Greater Columbus Convention Center, Meetings Today spoke with John Page, general manager for SMG for the Greater Columbus Convention Center (GCCC). Page shared his advice for navigating a convention center renovation or expansion.

More...

Once you’ve seen one convention center you’ve seen them all, right? A recent visit to the Chattanooga Convention Center left me surprised to find some nice touches that many of its bigger—and smaller—city counterparts lacked. Following are five standout features I noticed during my tour of the Chattanooga Convention Center led by Executive Director Mike Shuford, during a press trip with the Chattanooga CVB.

More...

The Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC) hosted a grand opening ceremony, Monday, Aug. 6, 2018 following a two-year, $207 million renovation and expansion project. State and local government officials, along with KICC facility officials and staff welcomed meeting clients, local stakeholders, interested citizens, and media to an open house that showcased how the new facility will host small to large-scale events.

More...

Caesars Entertainment broke ground on its $375 million, Caesars Forum conference center on Monday, July 16, during a ceremony for trade press, industry executives and Caesars staff members. The ceremony was also livestreamed by Caesars so that people could tune in from all over the world.

More...

Meetings Today contributor Carolyn Blackburn interviewed Jennifer B. David, Senior Marketing & Communications Manager with the Greater Columbus Convention Center (GCCC), to discuss recent updates to the facility. The GCCC, which features 373,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, wrapped a two-year $140 million renovation and expansion project in July 2017 to improve the overall guest experience, including the installation of an impressive art collection and local F&B concepts.

More...

College towns are happening hubs of activity, where the arts, sports and culinary delights thrive. All that and more is on deck for planners who book a university setting for a conference.

More...

Architects have submitted their designs for the phase two expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

More...

The artwork installed at an increasing number of popular convention centers transforms these necessarily utilitarian buildings into magnificent galleries that rival some of the most inspired museums in the world.

More...

The City of Arlington announced plans for Esports Stadium Arlington, an esports-specific venue designed to draw competitive gamers and fans from around the world. The proposed venue will be built within the existing Arlington Convention Center in collaboration with architecture firm Populous.

More...

Meetings Today checked in with Michele Hughes, Director of Sales & Marketing with the Connecticut Convention Center (CTCC).

More...

Goodbye big-box, bunkeresque venues. Hello green rooftop micro-environments, wellness spaces and hip street-party-scapes.

More...

Addressing profound changes in how their customers are approaching learning, many conference centers are in a process of reinvention

More...

Many convention centers are striving to reflect and showcase their locations.

More...

An exceedingly intelligent choice for meetings and events.

More...

The times they are a changin’, and all for the better from this reporter’s perspective.

More...

Generic big-box convention centers seem to be going the way of the buggy whip and typewriter.

More...

Here is the top feedback when it comes to staging cutting-edge conference meets.

More...

Are you fully engaging your attendees?

More...

When it comes to putting fun on the agenda, State College is one smart choice.

More...

Dana Freker Doody answers questions from Meetings Focus' Invigorate Your Large Events webinar.

More...

Today's conference centers are more about standing out than fitting in.

More...

Educational facilities throughout Florida give attendees a chance to relive the college experience.

More...

Modern convention centers are about experience as much as setting.

More...

The 2014 IACC Annual Conference reported it has attracted the most registered attendees since 2008.

More...

State College, home to Pennsylvania State University, welcomes groups with its vibrant ambiance and excellent on-campus (and off-site) facilities.

More...

More...

More...

More...

More...

More...

More...

More...

More...

More...

More...

More...

More...

More...

More...

More...

More...

More...

More...