CLEVELAND, OH - March 30, 2010 - The Cleveland Cavaliers will participate in the second annual league-wide “NBA Green Week 2010” April 4th through April 10th to highlight the team’s high-level awareness and commitment to sustainability by supporting environmental protection programs and encouraging fans to implement eco-friendly habits. The Cavaliers will host two “Sustainability Awareness Nights” on Tuesday, April 6th vs. the Toronto Raptors at 7:00 p.m. and on Friday, April 9th vs. the Indiana Pacers at 7:30 p.m. Each game will be dedicated to promoting fan activation and education about eco-friendly behavior.
“Everyone in our organization has dug deep to transform our operations to make an impact on being respectful to the environment,” said Kerry Bubolz, Cavaliers executive vice president of corporate sales who also heads the Cavs and Quicken Loans Arena Sustainability Team. “Through our awareness nights, it is our goal to inspire our fans to embrace new behaviors that will lead to positive lifestyle changes that benefit the environment.”
Here are many of the highlights and activities at the April 6th and 9th games in support of the Cavs Sustainability Awareness Nights:
- Cavs and Habitat for Humanity TOOL DRIVE. The Cavs are teaming up with the Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity to ask fans to donate new and used tools that will be collected in bins outside of Quicken Loans Arena prior to each game (even fans not attending the games can donate!). The donated items will be sold at the organization’s ReStore, a recycled building materials store located at 2110 W. 110th Street in Cleveland. Proceeds from ReStore will be used to help Habitat for Humanity build and rehab home for those in need. Items most desired are hammers, saws, sanders, tape measures, cordless screw guns, angle drills, six and four foot levels.
- It’s almost planting time! The first 10,000 fans at each of the games will find out if they have a green thumb when they receive a packet of organic vegetable seeds donated by Whole Foods.
- Row for Water’s (a Blue Planet Run Foundation) Katie Spotz will be the Cavs special guest at the Tuesday, April 6th game. A Cleveland native, Katie recently rowed solo across the Atlantic Ocean for 70 days, 5 hours and 22 minutes to raise awareness for safe drinking water projects around the world. Katie will meet fans at Row for Water’s information table on the concourse. To support the organization’s mission, Cavs players will sign their worn warm up specially designed shooting shirts that will be put up for auction to benefit Row for Water.
- On The Q’s concourse, local environmental community partners will have representatives and information available on the importance of sustainable living along with interactive exhibits and demonstrations. Those participating include: Cuyahoga County Solid Waste, Cuyahoga County Soil & Water, Earth Day Coalition and the Cleveland Zoo, Eco Watch Journal, NE Ohio regional Sewer District along with Wally the Water Drop mascot, Office of Sustainability, Habitat for Humanity, Row for Water, Whole Foods and One Community.
- Bid to benefit Eco Watch Ohio and Habitat for Humanity in a silent auction that will feature Spalding basketballs made from 40 percent recycled materials that will be autographed by Cavaliers players, in addition to many other player signed items. The silent auction will be located on the concourse outside of sections 123-124.
- Fans that take the RTA or rapid transit to the games will receive a free bag of whole grain chips, courtesy of ARAMARK and Shearer’s when they show their RTA receipt at any Fan Fare or Moondog’s Hot Dogs and More concession stand at The Q.
- In place of cut flowers, ARAMARK will place potted herbs in hospitality areas at The Q. The herbs will then be donated to a local community garden.
- Special public service announcements with Cavs players encouraging fans to recycle will be shown on Q-Tube during games and can also be viewed on cavs.com/eco, which also features “Sustainability Tips” for visitors to learn more about how the team, Quicken Loans Arena and Cleveland Clinic Courts are practicing environmental responsibility.
- Cavs players will wear 100 percent organic cotton shooting shirts designed by adidas featuring the NBA Green logo and Cavs coaches and staff will wear special NBA pins during their games that week.
To date the Cavaliers organizational family, which includes the AHL Lake Erie Monsters, Quicken Loans Arena operations management and ARAMARK food and beverage service, has made significant strides in its goal to lead the way in best practices for environmental protection. Key accomplishments include:
- Collected close to 200,000 lbs. of recyclable waste in 2009 that includes 92 tons of cardboard, 225 lbs. of batteries, and 1,200 lbs. of fluorescent light bulbs.
- Testing wind equipment mounted on the roof of Quicken Loans Arena and exploring federal aid/grant for solar panels on arena roofline and rainfall collection system.
- Over 95% of housekeeping cleaning products are biodegradable.
- Continue to install more energy efficient bulbs and motion detector switches, resulting in reduced overall energy consumption in the arena.
- Reduced amount of Cavaliers and Monsters game-day printed materials: pocket schedules by 45%, game night programs by 33%, and media guides by 75%.
- Participated in a successful pilot composting program, which led to Quicken Loans Arena getting ready to launch a full-service composting program in early 2010 (ARAMARK’s Jessie Jacobson was one of the recipients of the 2009 E4S Champion of Sustainability Award for her role in the pilot composting program).
- ARAMARK initiatives include the increased focus on buying local food and partnerships with many local vendors, the use of plates and bowls made of biodegradable materials, serving organic coffee, offering organic beer and wine, and providing Vegan menu options at the Just 4U concession stand.
“Every day we strive to take bigger steps to protect the environment,” said Bubolz. “Our organizational eco-consciousness is powered by teamwork.”