NEEF is taking a three-prong approach to promote awareness of environmental issues important to hockey:
Clean air
The Seattle Kraken, Minnesota Wild and New York Islanders each have set new standards for better air quality in and out of their rinks. The Kraken offer free public transit access passes to Climate Pledge Arena. Ride-sharing options and bike rack maps are available to those visiting Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Islanders and UBS Arena recommend taking advantage of the Long Island Rail Road's increased service to and from the Elmont, New York, train station and electric shuttles making round trips to the Emerald parking lot a half mile away.
Clean water
The 2011 Stanley Cup Final was the first water-neutral series in NHL history. The League tracked the total water used -- everything from rinks to faucets -- at host venues Rogers Arena (Vancouver Canucks) and TD Garden (Boston Bruins). Gallons for Goals, a season-long commitment focusing on the issue of freshwater scarcity, was established Jan. 17, 2012. Additionally, the League has executed water stewardship projects and other water awareness programs since 2011.
The Los Angeles Kings use an advanced environmental air-management system at Crypto.com Arena that helps capture water from the air to be stored in water tanks for non-potable water uses and dehumidification technology. Climate Pledge Arena's "Rain to Rink" system takes enough rainwater to fill a 15,000-gallon cistern from its roof and uses it to make the greenest ice in the NHL.
Less litter
The Kings, Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks each hold beach cleanups to remove pollutants out of waterways. The Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers work with the nonprofit Leveling the Playing Field to collect and donate hockey equipment to players in underserved communities. The Colorado Avalanche, through the Ball Corporation, are holding the Green Assists Program Metro Denver recycling challenge. Through May 14, fans can submit photos of recycling aluminum cans, bottles, cups, or other aluminum beverage packaging for a chance to win a grand prize of Avalanche merchandise. Fans are eligible to participate in the team's Sustainable Summer drive-thru in May.
"What's powerful about sports is that these teams can model the kind of behavior and encourage the kind of behavior that we want people to engage in," Espinoza said. "I think that's one of the goals with this infographic and information, is to use those well-known teams to say look at what they're doing, and what they're encouraging, and you can do this in your community, too."
Espinoza transitioned toward the human element of her studies near the end of her undergraduate tenure at Bucknell University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in animal behavior and ethology. She wanted more of an interactive perspective on the natural world and received a master's degree in environmental management at Duke University. Stops at the World Wildlife Fund and The Jane Goodall Institute led her to NEEF, where for 18 years she has explored new themes and concepts while tracking emerging trends in environmental education.
"Drawing those connections is powerful," Espinoza said, "and I think as sports continue and as hockey continues to invest in these kinds of actions and these kinds of communications with fans, it really will motivate more of these behaviors at the local level."
