The Pittsburgh Penguins will hold ‘Penguins Pledge Night’ Presented by U. S. Steel on Thursday, March 28 when the Penguins take on the Columbus Blue Jackets at 7:00 PM at PPG Paints Arena, it was announced today. Launched in 2023, the Penguins Pledge is a sustainability initiative which serves as the organization's commitment to improve all efforts of social, economic and environmental sustainability.
This program is a collaborative effort with key partners including Champion Partners EQT, Indra Energy, PPG, U. S. Steel, Wesco and Xylem, as well as Impact Partners Bradenton Area CVB, Davey Tree Expert Company and WM with the goal of reducing negative impact on the environment and promoting sustainable practices to help preserve natural resources while also supporting economic and social development.
The first 10,000 fans in attendance will receive a Penguins-patterned shirt presented by PPG. The shirt is made of rPET, a recycled material, furthering the Penguins’ and PPG’s commitment to sustainability. To purchase tickets for Thursday’s Penguins Pledge Night, please click here.
Fans are invited to visit the DICK’S Sporting Goods Wall of Champions Hallway located behind Section 112 on game night to participate in activities thanks to U. S. Steel, Friends of the Riverfront and the National Aviary. Here, fans can view a live webcam of U. S. Steel’s resident bald eagles, Irvin and Claire, and see a life-size eagle wingspan display, highlighting the grandeur of our national bird that made their home at the Irvin Plant. National Aviary experts and some of their live penguin ambassadors will also be at PPG Paints Arena.
As part of the night’s festivities, U. S. Steel will present a $50,000 grant to Friends of the Riverfront. Since 1991, Friends of the Riverfront has worked to protect and restore the riverfront in the Pittsburgh region through trail development and stewardship after decades of legacy pollution. The Three Rivers Heritage Trail and Water Trail now encompass 33 miles of urban and suburban riverfront trails and more than 30 river access points along both banks of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers. Each season, U. S. Steel, Wesco and the Pittsburgh Penguins team up for a cleanup event with Friends of the Riverfront. Since 2022, these cleanup events engaged 188 employees from the three companies, which accounted for more than 1,104 volunteer hours.
PPG Paints Arena, the first NHL venue to be LEED Gold Certified, has various initiatives to further promote sustainability. In collaboration with Aramark, the Penguins’ food service provider, the arena has teamed up with 412 Food Rescue to donate and redistribute all unused food from the arena to organizations around the Pittsburgh community. Last year, the donated total to 412 Food Rescue surpassed 23,000 pounds of surplus food. PPG Paints Arena also has a comprehensive recycling program that includes electronics and batteries, and has transitioned to using PathoSans – a chemical free cleaning product made on-site.
As part of the team’s off-season arena upgrades, the Penguins recycled over 40,000 pounds of steel during the new center-hung scoreboard construction. Additionally, arena lighting is full LED as of 2023, saving over 40% on electricity usage compared to the previous system in place. The arena is a member of the Pittsburgh 2030 District & Green Sports Alliance.
For more information on the overall Penguins Pledge initiative, please visit the Penguins Pledge webpage at https://www.nhl.com/penguins/community/penguins-pledge.
