Pac-12 Announces “Team Green Champions” Sustainability Ambassador Program

Pac-12 Announces “Team Green Champions” Sustainability Ambassador Program
June 27, 2019
Posted by:
Jessica Crawford

By Pac-12 Conference

SEATTLE – Earlier today during the 2019 Pac-12 Sustainability Conference, hosted by the University of Washington, the Pac-12 formally announced a new “Team Green Champions” brand ambassador program in conjunction with the Pac-12 Team Green platform. “Team Green Champions” will feature friends of the Pac-12 who are passionate about supporting and developing sustainability initiatives for the benefit of global citizens and their communities, and promoting such work taking place on and around the Conference’s 12 member-universities.

From current and former professional, collegiate and Olympic athletes and coaches to world-class researchers to academic, business and organizational leaders, members of the program will serve in a volunteer capacity, providing their time and energy toward the mission of Pac-12 Team Green. Founding members of the program include:

  • Arielle Gold – U.S. Olympic Snowboarding bronze medalist and current student at the University of Colorado, Boulder and international climate change advocate.
  • Taylor Graham – Former Academic All-American soccer student-athlete at Stanford (1999-2002), seven-year MLS defender (2003-11) and current VP of business operations for the Seattle Sounders FC.
  • Mary Harvey – Cal Hall of Fame goalkeeper for women's soccer, USOC Hall of Famer, FIFA Women’s World Cup champion, U.S. Olympic gold medalist and current CEO of the Centre for Sport and Human Rights.
  • Adam Lowry – Stanford All-American sailor (’96), two-time "505" class, world champion and co-founder of Method Products and Ripple Foods.
  • Roger McClendon - Current executive director of the Green Sports Alliance, former chief sustainability officer of Yum Brands! and former four-year student-athlete of Cincinnati's men's basketball team.
  • Josh Rosen – Former UCLA Bruin (2015-17), current Miami Dolphin and noted environmentalist.
  • Bill Walton – Basketball Hall of Famer, UCLA Hall of Famer, current ESPN and Pac-12 Networks analyst and active sustainability advocate.

As part of the “Team Green Champions” commitment, members will:

  • Actively share the mission and work of Pac-12 Team Green
  • Engage as a resource and advisor to Pac-12 Team Green leadership
  • Attend annual events and represent Pac-12 Team Green when possible
  • Recruit like-minded and influential peers

Pac-12 Team Green, a first-of-its-kind sustainability platform in collegiate athletics, was launched a year ago during the annual Pac-12 Sustainability Conference. The goal of the platform is to enhance and promote all of the greening and sustainability efforts taking place on and around the Conference and all 12 of its member universities. The new “Team Green Champions” program will serve as a key pillar of Pac-12 Team Green along with the annual conference, the Pac-12 Sustainability Working Group and the annual Pac-12 Zero Waste Challenge.

Pac-12 Team Green’s highlights in its first year, as the platform continues to expand its reach, include:

  • Working with founding sustainability partner Unifi as well as Fanatics and League 91, using REPREVE thread, to create a line of Pac-12 Team Green merchandise that has been featured on Pac-12.com/teamgreen, onsite at Pac-12 championships events and at various university bookstores.
  • Developing a season-long public service campaign on Pac-12 Networks, featuring several student-athletes at Pac-12.com/teamgreen.
  • Featuring the REPREVE #TurnItGreen mobile tour on campuses and at Pac-12 championship events.
  • Highlighting recycling efforts through in-arena and on-court promotions as well as amplifying organized-recycling activities following events.
  • Following the 2018 Pac-12 Football Championship Game at Levi’s Stadium, working with its partner in Copia to donate and recover excess food and provide over 700 meals to those in need around the Santa Clara area.

More information on Pac-12 Team Green is available at Pac-12.com/teamgreen. More bio information of each Team Green Champion is available at Pac-12.com/teamgreen/champions.

About the Pac-12 Conference

The Conference has a tradition as the “Conference of Champions,” leading the nation in NCAA Championships in 53 of the last 59 years, with 526 NCAA team titles overall. The Conference comprises 12 leading U.S. universities - the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Colorado, the University of Oregon, Oregon State University, Stanford University, the University of Southern California, the University of Utah, the University of Washington and Washington State University. For more information on the Conference’s programs, member institutions, and Commissioner Larry Scott, go to Pac-12.com/conference.

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