Portland LEED

From the April 15, 2010 IAAM newsletter.

In conjunction with NBA Green Week, a league-wide sustainability awareness initiative from April 1-9, the Portland Trail Blazers commemorated the Rose Garden’s LEED Gold certification with a LEED plaque unveiling ceremony on April 9 at the Rose Garden’s North entrance.

NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver joined Trail Blazers President Larry Miller, Senior Scientist Allen Hershkowitz of the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and a representative of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to officially recognize the Trail Blazers becoming the first major pro sports team to earn a coveted LEED Gold rating from the USGBC.

“We are proud of this achievement, not only for the progress it represents for our organization, but because it reinforces Portland’s leadership as America’s greenest city,” Miller said. “We see this as an ongoing commitment to sustainability throughout our operations, not just a one-time event. By doing that, we hope to encourage visitors to the Rose Quarter to think and act more responsibly to reduce their own impact on the environment.”

Throughout Green Week, adidas outfitted all 30 NBA teams with 50 percent organic polyester shooting shirts featuring the NBA Green logo. Players also wore NBA Green headbands, wristbands and socks made from 45 percent organic cotton to further promote greater environmental awareness.

“Green Week showcases the NBA’s ability to inspire positive action and is another example of why the league has an outstanding reputation as one of the world’s most responsible sports organizations,” Hershkowitz said. “A healthy environment benefits everyone, and the NBA's continued incorporation of that understanding into its operations proves it takes its commitment to environmental protection seriously.”