It's Sunday morning, and I'm prepping for the ultimate Super Bowl showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs.

I'm cleaning the house (with HopePodz, of course!), prepping snacks, and getting ready to host a plastic-free Super Bowl party with 12 friends.

But amidst the excitement, I can't help but wonder: How green is the Super Bowl, really? I'm doing my part; is the NFL doing theirs?

DOES THE NFL HAVE A GREEN POLICY?

Turns out, it does! For the last 31 years, the "NFL Green" initiative has been working to reduce the environmental impacts of major events like the Super Bowl. In fact, this Super Bowl 2024 marks many green milestones:

Carbon Neutral Kickoff

This Chiefs vs 49ers game marks the first completely carbon-neutral Super Bowl ever! If you don't factor Taylor Swift into the equation, that is (more on that below)...

Sustainable Transportation Touchdown

Also this year, the NFL Green initiative is promoting sustainable transportation for football fans watching the game in Las Vegas. Think: electronic shuttles, bike-sharing programs & carpools.

Green Energy Power Up

Inside the stadium, green energy technologies are in place, including solar panels and an advanced energy storage system.

Tackling Plastic Waste

And finally — the NFL has introduced a plastic-free game day experience inside the stadium, replacing items like straws, utensils and packaging waste with eco-friendly alternatives.

Sounds very NFL GREEN, right? Except...

Taylor Swift and Donna Kelce — both 2023 football celebrity phenomenas — are throwing a wrench into the NFL Green's environmental strides.

TAYLOR SWIFT: HIGHEST CARBON FOOTPRINT

While the NFL Green initiative tackles emissions, Taylor Swift's carbon footprint remains a hot topic.

By way of background, Taylor Swift began dating Travis Kelce, the Chief's Super Bowl-winning tight end in 2023. This relationship has boosted the Chief's brand value by a whopping $331.5 million in just under 6 months of dating.

During this time, Swift's extravagant lifestyle and frequent travel has raised eyebrows. For example, today Taylor is flying from Tokyo to Las Vegas to watch her boyfriend play in Super Bowl 2024.

Put another way — it would take an average American 519 years to create the same amount of carbon emission that Taylor Swift has put out into the world with all her 2023 air travel.

The Opportunity

While the NFL makes strides, Taylor's astronomical carbon emissions are overshadowing the NFL Green's efforts. If only Taylor Swift would get on board, here's an opportunity to turn the spotlight on green initiatives and Taylorl can lead by example.

DONNA KELCE'S PARTNERSHIP WITH ZIPLOC

While the NFL tackles plastic waste in stadiums — here we have Donna Kelce, the mother of Travis Kelce, announcing her new business relationsihip with single-use plastic manufacturer Ziploc.

Sure, it's pretty shocking to realize that last year's Super Bowl festivities resulted in over 10 million pounds of leftover food being discarded. That's a lot of samosas, chicken wings, pasta salad, and whatever else everyone brings to potluck Super Bowl parties, isn't it?

Food waste does require a solution; however, it needs to be an NFL Green solution.

The Opportunity

As Donna Kelce, newly appointed Ziploc's "chief leftover officer," aims to tackle food waste this Super Bowl — an unintended consequence is that she's also promoting plastic bags which clashes with NFL Green's mission. Why not partner with a glass container manufacturer instead and offer a greener alternative to tackle this food waste issue?  

As an NFL ambassador, here's an opportunity for Donna Kelce to use her platform to inspire change and promote eco-friendly practices. Again, if she would only get on board with NHL Green's mission.

 

 

Join the Conversation

As I get back to gearing up for the game — I hope the NFL, Taylor Swift, and Donna Kelce will step up to champion environmental stewardship TOGETHER. After all, tackling carbon emissions and single-use plastic is a team effort, both on and off the field. Do you agree?