The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized the National Hockey League as the 2014 Food Recovery Challenge Sports & Entertainment Venues corporate award winner.

In a letter from Cheryl Coleman, Director of EPA’s Resource Conservation and Sustainability Division, the League was commended for its leadership in wasted food prevention and diversion.

“The NHL is serving as a true leader in sustainable food management,” said Coleman. “The League’s actions have created a foundation of innovation and achievement that will guide other organizations as they pursue environmental goals around sustainable food management.” 

The NHL supports the mission to “Feed People -- Not Landfills.” Since 2010, NHL Clubs have participated in the NHL Food Recovery Initiative, which diverts approximately 100 tons of waste (equivalent to 160,000 meals) from going to landfills annually, by collecting prepared but untouched food after the game for donation to local shelters.

The League-wide initiative, launched in partnership with “Rock and Wrap It Up!” and arena concessionaires, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and helps to combat hunger in North America. The League has been recognized multiple times by the U.S. EPA for its efforts, and Beyond Sport presented the NHL with its 2011 Sport for Environment award in recognition of its commitment to food recovery.

Constellation, the NHL's official preferred energy provider, is helping the League improve its energy performance and reduce its environmental impacts. Through this Energy Playbook, Constellation is offering simple tips to help NHL Fans join the League 's sustainability efforts.

In the preparation of the 2014 NHL Sustainability Report, the NHL discovered that the generation and use of energy to power NHL arenas and offices result in approximately 80% of the NHL 's carbon footprint*. Today, Constellation is conducting energy efficiency analyses and recommending energy management strategies for arenas. Together we are actively promoting energy performance improvements that result in fewer emissions and lower operating costs.

Three fundamental strategies – reducing demand, increasing efficiency and using more benign forms of energy – can also help you, the NHL fan, save money, reduce energy and protect the environment. Below are five easy ways to get started:

1. Green your tech: Big screen, high-definition TVs make watching hockey from home more exciting than ever -- but not everyone is aware of the energy cost associated with their TV and cable box. ENERGY STAR products are independently certified to save energy without sacrificing features or functionality. Hockey fans interested in saving money on their energy bills, while protecting the environment should always look for the ENERGY STAR when upgrading their technology.

2. Watch with friends: Get your friends together for games. Research shows watching in groups and turning off unnecessary lights in the house can lower energy use in your region. In 2011, a local utility challenged fans to reduce energy during Canucks games. The highest reduction in the Playoffs came during Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final (6% decrease). Playoff history showed that overall electricity demand in B.C. dropped while the games were being televised, showing that even small behavioral changes – whether intentional or accidental -- add up to make a difference. So get together and save energy while you catch all the on-ice action.

3. Light the lamp: In recent years NHL arenas have made the shift away from old, inefficient lighting, which has produced significant returns on investment and lessened environmental impact. Many have implemented occupancy and daylight sensor controls, as well as timer and scheduling programs in their lighting- control systems. A select few have even installed new LED game-lighting systems that illuminate the ice surface and significantly cut energy use. NHL Fans can take the same approach at home: Replace your most frequently used light fixtures or bulbs with CFLs or LED that have earned the ENERGY STAR. CFLs, for instance, are 80% more efficient than conventional bulbs, last up to 10 years and replacing just six bulbs can save you an average of $36 per year in electricity costs.

4. Set your best line-up: NHL arenas work tirelessly to improve the quality of the ice surface while efficiently managing energy use. Great attention is paid to creating optimal air conditions, particularly temperature and humidity. In a typical home, heating and cooling account for about 56% of the energy use, making it the largest energy expense, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Use your thermostat to schedule heating and cooling, to reduce energy while you sleep or are out of the house. Smart thermostats automatically program based on your habits, and can be controlled from your phone. Setting the correct conditions in your home can lower your heating and cooling bills up to 20%.

5. Switch to green energy: The NHL currently ranks No. 17 on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Top 100 list of the largest users of green power, making it the first professional sports league ever to achieve the distinction. In partnership with Constellation, the NHL switched to green power for all arenas and offices (approximately 271 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of power). NHL fans can make the switch too. Support renewable energy and help reduce air pollution. Click here to find out how.

To learn more about how to make your home energy efficient, check out Constellation's virtual house and the Natural Resources Defense Council's green tips for sports fans.

*see nhl.com/green/report to find out more

On this World Water Day we ask our fans to join us in conserving water.

Water flows as a life source for hockey, starting with the frozen ponds and lakes where players learn the game, to the ice making and resurfacing processes of arenas and local community rinks. Hockey as we know it wouldn’t exist without the freshwater resources where players learn the game. Life as we know it wouldn’t exist without the freshwater that serves as our drinking water, provides habitat for fish and wildlife and is crucial for agriculture and economic development.

Read on to find out how we're addressing our water footprint.

Three winters ago, geographers at Wilfrid Laurier University launched a project called RinkWatch with a simple plan: ask people who have a rink to pin its location on a website’s interactive map, and report the skating conditions throughout the winter. So far, reports have come in from over 1,500 rinks from across North America (and a few from Scandinavia, too). The scientists pool this data and use a geospatial and numerical modelling techniques to work out what rinks are telling us about the weather.

Why do this? Because scientists warn that winters are becoming shorter and milder, and that the backyard rink may soon become an endangered species. The team is monitoring the health of outdoor rinks, tracking their numbers and conditions, and learning how changes in the environment are affecting them.

Read on to learn more about RinkWatch and how you can help preserve the great tradition of outdoor hockey.

On January 1, the Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals take the game outdoors, on a rink constructed above the infield at Nationals Park. The ballpark plays host to the 2015 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic (1 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC, TVA).

The NHL is committed to preserving the tradition of outdoor hockey. Our sport was born on frozen ponds and relies on winter weather.

The Winter Classic is a celebration of hockey’s roots. The site selected for the 2015 Winter Classic, has been recognized as a leader in sustainable design.

Read on to discover the greener side of D.C.'s Nationals Park.

The New Jersey Devils and PwC US have teamed up with the New Jersey Tree Foundation and Essex County to plant new trees as part of their “Pucks for Parks” initiative.

Through “Puck for Parks,” the Devils and PwC are working together to enrich New Jersey communities by helping sustain the environment and provide green space for generations. The multi-year program was created in 2013, with a commitment by the Devils and PwC, including the help of Devils staff, PwC partners and staff, and community volunteers, to plant at least two mature trees in a New Jersey park or green space for every Devils win during the 2013-14 regular season. Depending on the environmental needs of each location, additional trees and vegetation of various sizes will also be rooted, including along coastal and river areas to help prevent erosion.

Sabres Fans -- now is your chance to help make your community a better and brighter area to live in!

On May 3, join the efforts of the Buffalo Sabres Green Team and others as they clean up the South Buffalo BOA community. The meeting place is 266 Hopkins Street. Check-in is at 9 am with clean-up continuing 9:30-11:30 am. Lunch will be provided at the completion of the event. Modern Disposal and Buffalo Recycling and WNY Maritime Charter School will also be coordinating this effort.

Join the Sabres Green Team here!

The Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks are familiar playoff foes. The clubs met last season in the Western Conference Semifinals, with the Kings advancing in seven hard fought games. They meet earlier this year, in the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

On Sunday, the Sharks dealt the Kings a second consecutive lopsided loss to open the series with a 2-0 lead. The series now intensifies as the Kings return home tonight, welcoming the Sharks into the STAPLES Center, which will be glowing green to celebrate Earth Day.

While the strong play of the two California rivals will be on center stage tonight, the equally strong commitments of both clubs to a more sustainable business and lifestyle will be on display all month long.

Within the past few years, champions of the environment have emerged in the hockey world at all levels of the game. The mission and message of the League’s environmental platform is echoing throughout youth, college, junior and professional leagues and teams in communities large and small across the continent. The NHL is proud to inspire this sustainability movement and is pleased to profile those who are making a difference in their community.

As a prime example, the Alberni Valley Bulldogs (www.albernivalleybulldogs.ca) hockey club is proving to be a green leader by endorsing and educating their young fans on ecologically sustainable practices.

For a second straight season, the Bulldogs have partnered with Alberni Clayoquot Regional District to promote the 3R's (reduce, reuse, recycle) in local elementary schools.

“The Alberni Valley Bulldogs have been inspired in part by the NHL Green program,” said Adam Hayduk, the Assistant Coach/Assistant General Manager of the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in an e-mail to the League last week.

The hockey club, which plays out of Alberni Valley Multiplex - Weyerhaeuser Arena on Vancouver Island, B.C., is a member of the British Columbia Hockey League. Several Bulldogs alumni currently play NCAA Division 1 hockey, while two alumni have recently made it to NHL rosters: Harry Zolnierczyk (Pittsburgh Penguins) and David Dziurzynski (Ottawa Senators).

This season, the Bulldogs helped introduce the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge. Thirteen players were trained on recycling techniques, and were sent into classrooms to demonstrate how students can make a difference by reducing the amount of waste generated from their school lunches.

“As players, we understand the importance of being role models for the community and for younger kids,” said Bulldogs second-year defenseman Kurt Gosselin. “We like to get involved as much as we can to make a difference in the community that has given us so much.”

Every day school lunches are a major source of waste in British Columbia – the average student’s lunch generates a total of 30 kilograms of waste per school per year, or an average of 8,500 kilograms of waste per school per year.

“It is our goal once again to reach out to 25 different elementary and middle school classrooms,” said Hayduk. “There are so many great local initiatives already in play to reduce, reuse, and recycle. However, the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge will give students an opportunity every week to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in our local landfill. It’s a great way to make a positive impact.”

Andy Daniel, the Regional District's Manager of Environmental Services, believes the Bulldogs bring to the program many great qualities. “They are exceptional speakers and are seen as leaders by youth within the community. The Bulldogs players and organization are genuinely interested in the environment and making a difference within the community.”

NHL Green is proud of the steps the Bulldogs are taking and applaud them as green leaders in the hockey community. We invite hockey clubs of any and all levels to share their environmental pursuits, challenges and success stories with us. Please e-mail us at [email protected].

The San Jose Sharks and SAP Center at San Jose are teaming up with Sims Recycling Solutions to encourage the community and Sharks hockey fans to recycle their old electronics. If you are headed to Saturday’s game against the Canadiens, or happen to be in the San Jose area, take advantage of the opportunity to safely and securely dispose of your electronics in an environmentally responsible manner!

Everyone who drops off a recyclable item will be able to watch the team's pre-game morning skate and will receive a raffle ticket for a chance to win exclusive autographed Shark's merchandise and memorabilia.

WHEN: Saturday, March 8 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

WHERE: The SAP Center at San Jose in the main parking lot (Lot ABC) located at 525 West Santa Clara Street, San Jose, CA.

ITEMS ACCEPTED: Computers, Smartphones, Laptops, Monitors, Printers, PDAs, Cell phones, Tablets, Telephones, Televisions, Radios, Stereos, Speakers, Keyboards, CD players, DVD players, VCRs, MP3 players, Computer Mice

ITEMS NOT ACCEPTED: Batteries, Smoke Detectors, Ammunition Scrap, Paint and Aerosol cans.

This e-waste collection event will be set up as a drive-through and drop-off event. Staff will be on hand to conveniently and quickly collect items from community members' vehicles.

Sims Recycling Solutions guarantees that your data is secure and your electronic equipment is processed in the most environmentally responsible manner. For those who plan to recycle a monitor or television, please print and complete the collection log found at the us.simsrecycling.com/sharks website to ensure faster processing.