The Pittsburgh Penguins will hold ‘Penguins Pledge Night’ presented by U. S. Steel on Thursday, March 5 when the Penguins take on the Buffalo Sabres 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 The Coca-Cola Company, EQT Corporation, Indra Energy, Kimberly-Clark Professional, PPG, U. S. Steel and Wesco, as well as Impact Partners Davey Tree Expert Company, Duquesne Light Company, Excelitas, Neighborhood Ford Store 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.
Fans will have the opportunity to visit a variety of sustainability themed activities across the concourse. Fans can view a live webcam of U. S. Steel’s resident bald eagles, Irvin and Stella, and see a life-size eagle wingspan display, highlighting the grandeur of our national bird that made their home at the Irvin Plant. Additionally, National Aviary experts and some of their live penguin ambassadors will also be at PPG Paints Arena. The Penguins Pledge will also raise funds and call attention to the National Aviary in Pittsburgh and their conservation leadership with African Penguins.
The Penguins are also committed to preventing food waste, through their collaboration with 412 Food Rescue. Since 2019, the food recovery nonprofit has partnered with the Penguins, Aramark and the PPG Paints Arena to rescue 57,371 pounds of surplus food and redirect it to community organizations serving thousands of people across the Pittsburgh region, preventing an estimated 163,041 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.
"We are proud to work with iconic Pittsburgh institutions like the Penguins to ensure that good food feeds people, not landfills," says 412 Food Rescue CEO Alyssa Cholodofsky. "From sports franchises to businesses big and small, to the thousands of people who volunteer with us, our Pittsburgh community is fighting climate change and food insecurity as a team."
Since 2022, the Penguins Sustainability Pledge Partner events with Friends of the Riverfront have engaged more than 325 volunteers on the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, contributing 2,225 hours to removing 800 pounds of trash and nine truckloads of invasive vegetation, planting 250-plus native trees and advancing trail amenity and beautification projects. This commitment ensures clean, safe, accessible and thriving riverfronts, making our rivers cleaner and our riversides greener while ensuring places for healthy outdoor recreation across Allegheny County.
The Penguins and EQT Corporation have also partnered with Allegheny Land Trust (ALT) to offset the team’s carbon footprint since the beginning of the 2023-24 season. By purchasing ALT’s locally generated forest carbon credits, the Penguins reached carbon neutrality while conserving forested lands in the team’s home city. This partnership supported ALT’s conservation and stewardship of 272 acres of green space across southwestern Pennsylvania. These lands capture carbon, absorb stormwater, improve our region’s air and water quality, and create places for our communities to enjoy the outdoors.
For more information on the overall Penguins Pledge initiative, please visit the Penguins Pledge webpage at https://www.nhl.com/penguins/community/penguins-pledge.
