NHL Releases Sustainability Report

On Monday, the National Hockey League released a report addressing growing concerns regarding the NHL's environmental changes, particularly climate change and freshwater scarcity. “Perhaps more than any other sport, hockey is impacted by environmental issues, particularly climate change and freshwater scarcity,” the NHL report reads. “The purpose of the 2014 NHL Sustainability Report is to address our recent efforts and the challenges we face from an environmental perspective.” In addition to identifying the league’s concerns for sustaining both the NHL and the environment, the report reveals the league’s current operational carbon footprint, shares updates about the NHL Green Initiative, establishes resource management goals for the future and briefly lays out the game plans to reach those goals. The report also details the league’s partnerships with environmental organizations, as well as the environmental programs of the NHL’s corporate partners. The report also found that there are an average of 408 metric tons of CO2 emissions released per game, and powering the arenas and league offices make up 80 percent of the league’s annual greenhouse gas emissions. To counteract its own contribution to climate change, the league is working to grow its own initiatives, but clubs within the league are also getting involved. The Chicago Blackhawks host annual Go Green Games, “during which all electricity used is matched with an equivalent investment in renewable-energy credits, enough to avoid approximately 63 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions (or roughly the equivalent of burning 146 barrels of oil).”