The Green Sports Alliance has awarded the United States Tennis Association (USTA) with an environmental leadership award for its continued efforts to reduce emissions, waste, and energy for over the past 10 years.
Since 2008, the USTA has been introducing green initiatives at tournaments and new stadium builds which has resulted in a greenhouse gas emission reduction of over 100,000 metric tons, 700 tons of food waste converted into compost, 100 tons of food donated to local communities, and also offsetting energy used on site during the US Open.
In addition to this, the USTA also opened the Louis Armstrong Stadium in 2018, which is its third LEED certified building, and uses the world first naturally ventilated system for a stadium with a retractable roof.
The organization received the prestigious sports greening award given by the Green Sports Alliance for its trailblazing efforts.
“It is a great privilege for the USTA to be named a recipient of the Environmental Leadership Award and join an impressive list of past honorees,” said Gordon Smith, CEO and executive director of the USTA. “As owners and operators of the US Open, one of the highest-attended annual sporting events in the world, we felt it both an obligation and opportunity to bring about measurable changes, and continue to do so across the board, including at the USTA National Campus. A special thank you goes to all who have helped the USTA make green the color of choice.”
