What better way to kick off the school year than with a football game? How about a football game with a focus on protecting the environment? On Saturday September 5, 2009 at Cowell Stadium, the University of New Hampshire will hold its first Green Day with the “Go Green with the Wildcats” event.

UNH Athletics, the UNH Sustainability Office, and the Green Alliance worked together to create an event where students will be welcomed back with information on sustainability and an introduction to businesses offering products and services that have less of an impact on the environment. This event will show fans that our every day actions, including what we purchase, can make a difference. Each business will have its own tent and staff members that will inform fans on what exactly makes their products and services sustainable. Even the football game itself will be more environmentally friendly with a big focus on recycling.

The Green Alliance facilitated bringing in the participating businesses to the event due to its partnership with almost all of the featured businesses, and will also be present. When asked how the event came together, Sarah Brown, the director of the Green Alliance, said, “Jenna Kubesch from Wildcats Sports has been in touch with me and we have jointly been looking for ways to bring "green" to the UNH sports teams and fans -- Jenna really was the catalyst for this particular event. She was really committed to having a signature green event to kick-off the sports year and bring it directly to Wildcats fans while at the same time collaborating with local green business leaders. So the Green Alliance is thrilled to be a part of this event and we are really hoping to connect with Wildcats fans about the importance of sustainability and easy and local ways to make better choices.”
Jenna Kubesch of Wildcat Sports explained that this event is unique because environmental sustainability is not usually associated with sports. “Athletics itself is a big beast. A lot of paper is being used for tickets and then there's all of the trash that stems from a football game. Athletic events definitely have room to improve.” Since the majority of those attending will be students, Kubesch also commented on how important the audience will be at the event. “This is a group of decision makers that will greatly impact our world.”
Kubesch calls this first Green Day “just a start” and hopes that UNH Athletics can find even more ways to “green” their sports events. “This is the first Green Day and there was only so much we could do this time. Next year we will definitely work harder to promote this event and will reach out to involve more businesses and organizations.”
Some of the vendors and sponsors at Green Day include: the Green Alliance, Ultra Geothermal, SEA Solar Store, the Jenaly Technology Group, ReVision Energy, The Fiddlehead Loop, Simply Green, The Green Tee, UNH Energy Club, and the Southeast Habitat for Humanity Re-Store.

To learn more about the upcoming event and featured businesses, click here!