Boston Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference has led the environmental movement within sports for years. Ference launched the Carbon Neutral Challenge in 2007, has showcased his personal devotion to living a sustainable lifestyle through a web-series with National Geographic, and delivered a powerful speech as keynote speaker this July, at the 2012 Green Sports Alliance Summit in Seattle. He’s spoken at elementary schools about the benefits of composting, met with MIT grad students to discuss the future of renewable energy and can be found riding his bike to TD Garden on game days.
On Monday, the Boston blueliner (and self-proclaimed tree-hugger) received a message via Twitter from the folks over at the blog “Stanley Cup of Chowder” (@cupofchowdah) offering an environmental incentive for his on-ice performance:
The Plant a Billion Trees campaign is a major restoration initiative launched by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in 2008 to restore Brazil's Atlantic Forest. According to TNC, much of what does remain of the forest is found in small, isolated fragments and is on the brink of extinction due to pressures of urban expansion, agriculture, ranching and illegal logging. The Plant a Billion Trees campaign aims to reforest 2.5 million acres and connect more than 12 million acres in new forest corridors.
Ference responded later in the day, willing to match the pledge of fifty trees per goal, but with a twist. The rugged defenseman, not known for his goal-scoring prowess, has decided to match the goal total of someone with the scoring touch: teammate Tyler Seguin.
This season, the on-ice success of Ference and Seguin will not only help the Bruins compete for their second championship in three years, but will assist in the effort to save Brazil’s Atlantic Forest.
To find out more or to contribute to the campaign, go to plantabillion.org.
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