April 22nd is Earth Day – but for the Eagles, going green is a priority all year long.

Green is paramount to the organization – the team proudly wears it every game; decorations in various shades adorn the walls of the Lincoln Financial Field and the NovaCare Complex. But it's more than a color.

Green is representative of the daily commitment the team makes to sustainability and innovation.

When Lincoln Financial Field first opened its gates in 2003, the Eagles embarked on a journey to become an eco-friendly operation with their Go Green initiative. Twenty years later, the team has emerged as a leader across sports in environmental protection, becoming the very first professional sports team in the world to receive the prestigious ISO 20121 Event Sustainability Management System certification.

Innovative eco-conscious practices are considered in every department within the Eagles; from sorting garbage on gamedays, to installing solar panels to ensure the stadium uses clean energy – the team even uses hydrogen fuel to power construction vehicles.

Together, players, staff, and corporate sponsors, namely Aramark, Braskem, Hilco Redevelopment Partners, Hoffman's Exterminating, NRG, PDC Machines, Ricoh, SEPTA, Tork, Waste Masters Solutions, and West Pharmaceutical Services – plus the team's unwavering fan base, have propelled the Eagles toward becoming a game changer for sustainability.

"Sustainability is no longer confined to just the operational aspect of our organization," said Norman Vossschulte, Director of Fan Experience and Sustainability. "It is a key pillar of who we are, what we stand for, and how we operate as a team. That starts with great leadership at the very top with Jeffrey Lurie and Don Smolenski. It has a trickle-down effect and empowers us as employees to take action in our personal and professional lives."

Earth Day is every day for the Eagles. Here's a glimpse into some of the team's most recent efforts toward preserving our planet.

Offsetting team travel emissions

More than 1,500 miles away from Philadelphia, in Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve on the Puerto Rican Coast, there is a 1,140-hectare site of seagrass and mangrove restoration.

Seagrass and mangroves serve vital roles in the local tropical ecosystem, providing habitat to a host of endangered species like the brown pelican, peregrine falcon, and various types of sea turtles and sharks, to name a few.

Whether you're walking alongside the Delaware River on a Sunday in the fall before tuning into the Eagles' game, vacationing at the Jersey Shore in the offseason, or traveling to a place like Puerto Rico, conserving the ocean is integral to maintaining a healthy planet.

That's why the Eagles partnered with Ocean Conservancy, becoming the first U.S. pro sports team to offset team travel emissions through the Blue Playbook. Through this partnership, the Eagles are helping to fund the labor, supply, public education, administration, and infrastructure required to restore these precious areas in Puerto Rico.

In 2021, the Eagles offset 456 metric tons of carbon dioxide by planting three acres of seagrass.

Planting trees with West Pharmaceutical Services

Picture this:

Jake Elliott lines up for a 50-yard field goal with just seconds left in the game. The Eagles, down by two, need the kick to win the game. He nails the football, sending it soaring through the center of the goal posts. The Eagles win the game and the fans at Lincoln Financial Field are in a state of delirium.

Even better? The Eagles are not the only winners here.

In 2023, the Eagles and West Pharmaceutical Services will plant 20 trees for each successful field goal throughout the season, creating the West Field Goal Forest. The team will also collaborate on an annual tree planting event at the end of the season.

Hydrogen Refueling

One year ago, the Eagles received a SimpleFuel hydrogen refueling unit from PDC Machines, designed to power the stadium's fleet of fuel cell electric vehicles and material handling equipment. The SimpleFuel machine uses only water and electricity to make hydrogen that can power equipment used around and within the stadium.

The partnership is yet another innovative measure the team has taken to make the Eagles' operation a green one.

Earth Day FDR Park Cleanup

Across from Lincoln Financial Field is FDR Park; it's one of the city's most prominent green spaces.

On Thursday, in celebration of Earth Day, the Eagles, Lincoln Financial Group, and Essity teamed up for a park cleanup. Players, staff, and Season Ticket Members rolled up their sleeves and helped the South Philadelphia area that the team calls home maintain its beauty.

Do you want to take part in the Eagles' green efforts?

Earth Day Discount: Fans who bring 25 plastic bottle caps to the Pro Shop at Lincoln Financial Field on Friday, April 21 or Saturday, April 22 will receive 15% off their purchase that day. Eagles and Braskem collect plastic from items at Lincoln Financial Field, including plastic bottle caps, plastic films, food service trays, and even stadium seats. Braskem recycles these materials into items like park benches, bikes, and even a 6-foot-tall replica of the Lombardi Trophy.

2023 Eagles Draft Party: At the 2023 Eagles Draft Party on Thursday, April 27th, the team is encouraging fans to donate used electronics upon entry to Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles will be accepting computers, network equipment, cell phones, VCRs, DVDs, and rechargeable batteries.

Gameday

The Eagles know their fans love a good tailgate, and there's nothing quite like a gameday at Lincoln Financial Field. But what happens to all of the trash accumulated after a long Sunday celebrating the team?

In an effort to divert 100% of all gameday waste away from landfills, all trash bags are torn open, and each piece of trash is sorted into its own recycling stream.​ This season, ​the team created 718.4 tons of energy from waste (EFW) with the help of Aramark and Waste Masters.

Did you know?

• 10,456 solar panels have positioned Lincoln Financial Field to be among the greenest major sports facilities in the world
• Through the team's energy-from-waste program, the Eagles divert more than 99% of their waste from landfills
• The installation of water filtration fountains at the team's facilities has saved more than 1 million plastic water bottles since 2015
• The Eagles became the first Philadelphia sports team to switch from plastic straws to an eco-friendly alternative made from 100% renewable resources
• Implemented a closed-loop recycling program that collects bottle caps and turns them into new material for use at the stadium
• Supports reforestation efforts by planting trees in various cities, including the Eagles Forest in Bensalem, PA
• Bike Share program provides team employees with bicycles for convenient transportation from the NovaCare Complex to Lincoln Financial Field
• Staff is equipped with sustainable rain ponchos made from sugarcane ethanol, a renewable raw material that has a carbon-negative life cycle
• Cups and flatware are created from bio-plastics which biodegrade in just 45 days