Community, Local Nonprofits Score a Big Win After the Super Bowl

Super Bowl Host Committee Feb. 2, 2015

Super Bowl took over the local community in a highly visible way with Super Bowl banners, building-sized decorations and football activities of every type. So what happens after the big game? The NFL’s Environmental Program steps in to recover and recycle everything possible. These environmental projects are part of a large number of community events and initiatives implemented each year by the NFL and Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee to leave a positive benefit in each Super Bowl host community.

Local nonprofits have been touring Super Bowl venues to find out what will be available during the quick tear down following Super Bowl. They will be recovering material including décor, carpet, fabric, vinyl, furniture and building materials from more than a dozen NFL events and venues including Super Bowl Central. Those materials will be re-used by nonprofit agencies to benefit the local community. Recipient agencies include the Salvation Army, Keep Phoenix Beautiful, Treasures 4 Teachers and Stardust Building Supply.

Nearly five miles of Super Bowl branded fence wrap is used around the perimeter of the stadium. It will find a new home providing shade for the community gardens run by Keep Phoenix Beautiful. Food prepared for Super Bowl events, but never served, is sent to local shelters and soup kitchens. Last time Super Bowl was in Phoenix, a record setting 90-thousand pounds of food was recovered and shared with those in need by Waste Not, which is also providing food recovery this year.

A team of local volunteers is working on a first of its kind recycling project at the University of Phoenix Stadium the day after Super Bowl to remove recyclables from the waste stream. Volunteers from Arizona State University, Keep Phoenix Beautiful, University of Phoenix and PepsiCo have teamed up for the effort.

The National Football League Environmental Program has developed projects to respond to the environmental impact of Super Bowl events and leave a positive “green legacy” in host communities for the past 22 years. The NFL and the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee have implemented a variety of environmental initiatives for Super Bowl XLIX.

Local students donated more than 33,000 gently used books, pieces of sports equipment and school supplies as part of the NFL’s Super Kids-Super Sharing Project. Those items have been shared with local schools in need. Super Kids partners included the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee, the Arizona Cardinals, the Salvation Army South Mountain Kroc Community Center, and Verizon, the first major NFL sponsor to be involved in Super Bowl environmental initiatives. Through Verizon’s HopeLine program, 500, no-longer used wireless phones were collected during the Super Kids event and will be turned into support for domestic violence organizations. Verizon also made a $10,000 donation to the Back to School Clothing Drive organization to assist in their efforts to support school children affected by domestic violence. Electronic waste was collected and recycled at a public event in partnership with Verizon. More than 350 local residents participated and 44 pallets of electronics, weighing nearly 24-thousand pounds were collected and removed from the waste stream. Tree planting projects were also developed to help create additional green space in local communities. In partnership with Verizon, the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee and local partners, 170 trees have been planted with additional plantings planned in the spring. University of Phoenix Stadium, the site of Super Bowl XLIX, and several other major NFL Super Bowl event venues are being powered using “green energy” to reduce the climate impact of Super Bowl events. SRP is providing green power for University of Phoenix Stadium and for other events on the stadium campus. APS is providing green power for events located in downtown Phoenix.

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