Catching the Unlikely Fish (and Green Insights) at the ESPYs

As Told by an Unlikely "Reporter," Jen Boulden, Co-Founder of Idealbite.com

Last night I attended the ESPYs -- which I recently learned is the red carpet event for Celebraletes. (That's my poor attempt at making a Brangelina-esque term to describe celebrity athletes.) Not being what one might call a sports aficionado, I was given the following cheat sheet by a friend:

-- The really tall guys play basketball

-- The guys with no teeth play hockey

-- The fat guys play football

-- The cute, all-American boys play baseball

-- The lumpy older guys and gals play golf, except for Tiger Woods who looks more like a baseball player

-- The big goofy young guy with ears that stick out is Michael Phelps

-- Samuel L. Jackson is host, he's an actor.

So, why was I going to the most unlikely of events? Idealbite.com, the company I co-founded over 4 years ago with my partner Heather Stephenson, made the eco-impact signage for the ESPYs' operations. They placed Ideal Bite signs near the staff's refillable water stations to let people know they were avoiding an estimated 5,000 plastic water bottles, and around the food were signs that explained how buying plastics made from plants instead of the traditional petroleum-based plastics reduces the demand on fossil fuels, a rapidly diminishing resource.

This is standard fair at the events I attend in my daily green life, but still cutting edge in the world of sports. Here's where it really gets impressive. Past years' posters, strategically printed without specific dates, were recycled. Last year's stage, built using Forest Stewardship Council certified wood was removed from storage and re-assembled. The press tent and DJ booth were powered by on-site solar panels, and 90% of all waste was jettisoned to appropriate recycling and composting facilities, thanks to the expert sorters. They even offset the inevitable carbon that was produced by planting trees in Griffith Park, badly in need of new trees after a forest fire devastated several acres last year. The most impressive and fulfilling thing to me though? The fact that they weren't marketing the event as "green."

This was EXACTLY what my partner Heather and I had in mind as we sat on her rooftop in Brooklyn in March of 2004 when we dreamed up a company that would help bring green to the masses. At the time, we thought "taking green mainstream" was just an ethereal mission. But there I was -- reeling from the moment -- as camera flashes, security officers, and sparkly dresses flowed around me. Oh, and seven footers paraded about.

I decided to test this new-found reality and see if any of the athletes there really believed in green. Now as I mentioned earlier, I am as far from a mainstream sports fan as you can imagine. Truth is, Mike Tyson would need to bite me on the ear for me to recognize him, and I wouldn't know who Kobe Bryant is if I hit him with my biodiesel -- and I live in LA.

In case you are relating to me, let me further drive home my level of absolute ignorance. I watch about 5 hours of TV a year - and I am not exaggerating. So here I am, a person that only watched 3-Day Eventing from the 2008 Olympics (and that's because I ordered the DVDs as I loathe commercials), about to interact with sports professionals.

Security was tight as you can imagine, so Molly, our Los Angeles Idealbite Editor, and I strategically positioned ourselves next to a CNN reporter to catch whatever athlebrity (working yet?) she released. The first fish we snagged was Wide Receiver Bernard Berrian of the Minnesota Vikings. When asked if he was into the whole green thing, he lit up, saying he recently renovated his place and recycled his carpet -- which I can tell you is no easy feat -- and added he was considering purchasing a Scorpion hydrogen-powered sports car.

Next up, and without an assist, I might add, was Los Angeles Lakers Jordan Farmar. He too was excited about his commitment to green, rattling off things like his clean diesel Audi ride, proselytizing the green message at his sports camps, and his philanthropic work with the UCLA children's hospital.

By the time I was feeling comfortable in my faux reporting role, buoyed by the athletes commitment to green, many superstars had passed by us: the William's Sisters, Kobe Bryant, Jeremy Piven, Dara Torres, Rashida Jones, or so I was told by Molly, who politely whispered in my ear. So we took our seats.

The rest you'll find out about on Sunday night, but since I actually do have the inside scoop and am not a trained professional, I will feign naivety and divulge a cheat sheet of my own:

• Demi Moore is even hotter in person than on the big screen
• Rob Lowe *may* have had a quick tousle before presenting -- his hair was messier than most hipsters would deem cool, and his tie was crooked
• The award given to outstanding achievement made my eco-mascara run like a river

Big picture? Green is graciously losing its position as a MMP (mere marketing ploy), and instead people, companies, and events are just doing it because it makes economic and common sense.

Oh and by the way, my friend's cheat sheet should have indicated that the buff boys sporting the "ice" were most likely football players, but other than that, the notes were spot on.

Comments

[Kristin Wagner]

How great that people who are in the spot light are using their influence for the greater good of our environment, proudly announcing the areas they are focusing on being "greener." Every step in the right direction is a reason to celebrate.

Thank you Jen and IdealBite for giving people, celebrities included, a forum to tout their environmental conscience!!

[mericadesign]

Who would have thought the pro sporters are greening it. Tis' true you can't judge a book by its cover and it's good to hear that Green isn't just another hat but now becoming an essential part of the wardrobe. I'm wondering if there's a Humvee drivers convention you can hit next? Excellent reporting JB and great writing to boot!

[GetAbike]

Appropriate that this inspiration to the Green Movement happens at the ESPYs- kind of a SACO event- Sitting Around Congratulating Ourselves.

Is this what passes for sustainability? for being "green"?
You mentioned planting trees- How many trees did it take to offset the tons of carbon to travel to, and for this single event?
Cool acronym- I'd never heard of MMP- though it wont be long before your clients will be saying, "we need More Marketing Ploys! Give Jenny a call."

Is there a better example of literally Wasted Energy (WE) than that event?
Sounds like business as usual (BAU). Anything that can make us feel good about not having to change is what we in our culture and our Ego will go with.

"The most impressive and fulfilling thing to me though? The fact that they weren't marketing the event as green."
And why would they?

[brainsandbutter]

All of this is so amazing to hear. People are starting to comprehend the idea that "this is our planet, and it is our job to take care of it ." This is such a positive movement in such a negative world right now and I can only hope that your success keeps on growing for the sake of our planet. Keep up the fantastic blogs and keep getting your info out to everyone, let's hope in a very near future, we are all "GREEN"!!!!!

Derek Feniger
Brains and Butter
www.brainsandbutter.com

[brainsandbutter]

So impressed with all that idealbite is accomplishing. IT is such a postive move in this world next to all the negativety flying around. People are realizing, "this is our planet, that means it's our job to take care of it and the people that live here." Please keep up the amazing work, obviously it is catching on, just a matter of time until we our all "GREEN"!!!!

Thanks for the report!

D-Fen

[j4metoo]

Its interesting how home focused both the athletes were in their repsonses. I'd be curious to get their impressions of say water bottle usage in competitive sports? It's a small thing, but it has a big impact. Are some or many of them embracing metal water bottles?

Also, what about the sports that require a great deal of water to maintain the grounds? Golf? Tennis? Baseball? (I'm pretty sure there are diamonds that are real grass) All of them take crazy amounts of water to maintain. Are more sports switching to turf? What's the thinking? More golf courses conserving? And if so how? Love more insights.

Keep up the great work, and keep us posted! Athletes are celebrities and if they speak out more...mor­e of the regular peeps WILL care.

[Lori Lawson]

Glad to know green is becoming more than a MMP. Keep up the stealth reporting and the mainstream greening, and the fine athlebrity reporting . . . nice to know I am not the only one who is unclear on the athletes

[Capt330]

Very good insight to the Green movement and how it effects all of us. I think people are finally realizing that sustainability is the way to go. Keep up the good work.