September 2, 2022 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) celebrates the 15th year of its US Open sustainability initiative, continuing the tournament’s decade-plus commitment to reducing the environmental impact of the US Open and helping to create a more sustainable future for our planet.

Since the program’s inception in 2008, working with environmental consultant eco evolutions llc, these initiatives have allowed the US Open to reduce its harmful greenhouse gas emissions by more than 130,000 metric tons. More than 6,500 tons of waste generated during the US Open has been diverted from landfills, saving over 6,400 tons of greenhouse gas emissions, the equivalent of 1,390 passenger cars being driven for a year. Through composting leftover organic matter, nearly 830 tons of food waste has been converted into nutrient-rich compost for gardens and farms, along with more than 185 tons of food being donated to local communities. 

In 2019, the US Open became one of the first major North American organizations to sign the United Nations Sports for Climate Action Framework, joining a group of international sports properties that have committed to drive climate awareness and action. As part of the US Open’s continued commitment to climate-intelligent humanitarian initiatives, returning in 2022 is a carbon offset program that provides improved cookstoves in Uganda. The US Open will offset the estimated carbon generated to run the event as well as from player travel to compete in the event, employee travel to work the event and fan travel for Finals Weekend. This equates to approximately 10 million miles traveled by airplane, car or subway. This initiative provides strong environmental benefits as the reduced consumption of biomass will result in emission reductions and decrease deforestation. 

Also returning in 2022 is the US Open’s collaboration with reforestation non-profit One Tree Planted, which is an initiative that was introduced at last year’s tournament. Working with One Tree Planted, the USTA will make a donation to ensure a tree is planted for every player that will be competing in the US Open, amounting to approximately 650 trees. The trees will be planted as part of ongoing reforestation projects in California to help replenish U.S. National Forests that have been impacted by recent forest fires.

US Open sponsors and partners are also making significant contributions to sustainability at the US Open. For example, evian is on a mission to make all its bottles from 100 percent recycled plastic by 2025 (excluding cap and label) the brand is Certified Carbon Neutral by the Carbon Trust.  This helps the US Open recycle nearly seven tons of plastic during the event and divert 97% of waste from landfill.

Continuing its commitment to sustainability, the Polo Ralph Lauren ball crew Polos will be made from yarn derived from recycled plastic bottles. The fabric will also have functional performance features, like stretch & moisture-wicking properties, all constructed for active play. In addition, tennis ball cans used at the US Open will feature Wilson’s Eco Overcap, which reduces the amount of plastic by half and leaves a smaller footprint on the environment after it has been used.

The US Open is proud to have earned LEED Silver certification for Louis Armstrong Stadium, which premiered at the 2018 US Open. LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is a green-building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices. A number of sustainable design elements were incorporated into Louis Armstrong Stadium, including fixtures that use 40% less water than standard buildings, landscape that is designed to use 55% less water than traditional landscaping and low-emitting paints and finishes. In addition, during construction, 95% of waste was recycled. This is the third LEED certified structure at the home of the US Open, the others being the Grandstand Stadium and VIP/Transportation Building.

Additional components of the US Open sustainability initiative include:

Filed Under: Blogs, Featured Columns, Latest News, Lead Story Tagged With: US Open, USTA

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Copyright © 2019 and beyond by TennisGrandstand LLC