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Many people wouldn’t associate NASCAR with “going green.” Let’s face it, who would think that NASCAR would be an industry leader in green efforts. Since 2008, NASCAR has implemented the NASCAR Green program. The program has helped NASCAR become the sports leader in recycling as well as tree planting programs.
NASCAR has three parts of their green program. These include recycling, tree planting as well as renewable energy. No other sport does this. The Pocono Raceway, located in eastern Pennsylvania, is one of the key parts of NASCAR’s Green initiative. Pocono Raceway has donated 8,000 trees which are under the supervision of the National Parks Service and even has their own solar farm which offsets carbon dioxide levels. Besides that, it also powers nearly 1,000 houses surrounding the track including the raceway as well.
The tracks aren’t the only ones participating in the program though. Sponsors are getting involved as well. NASCAR has teamed up with Sunoco, the official fuel of NASCAR, to use 15 percent blend of American ethanol in the Sunoco Green E15 fuel used throughout each of NASCAR’s top-three series. The ethanol used in the fuel is made from American-grown corn which shows NASCAR’s efforts of trying to create more jobs within the nation. Sunoco also announced they would plant the same amount of trees for the amount of pit stops made by NASCAR teams in each of the top-three series in April.
Fans can also notice that sponsors such as American Ethanol have been present at the track and on cars more often. Safety Clean, a partner of NASCAR’s for several years, helps by recycling oil at the track. Liberty Tire does nearly the same thing but with the Goodyear tires. UPS has also gotten involved with NASCAR Green as they partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation to plant more than 8, 000 trees as well as 90 in each area that NASCAR races. It’s sponsors such as these that help NASCAR get the attention of race fans of how important it is to be environmentally cautious.
The NASCAR Foundation renovated a park on Earth Day which was the first UPS tree planting event. The foundation was partnered with the Student Conservation Association for this project as they even had high school students involved within the project. This leads to our next point.
NASCAR’s Green program has not only effected fans at the race track, but at home as well. Many fans have been adjusting their lifestyles to make themselves more eco-friendly while at home. According to NASCAR, fans are 50 percent more likely to use gas with ethanol in it over non-fans.
There’s also an incentive for drivers to do well throughout the remainder of the year too. Ty Dillon and Austin Dillon are apart of the DRIVE4COPD program and whenever they lead a lap, they will plant trees. Freightliner Trucks will also plant trees for each time a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver that uses Freightliner wins a race.
Some other NASCAR partners which are participating in the NASCAR Green Clean Air Tree Planting Program delivered by UPS include Axalta Performance Coatings. Axalta hosted a ceremonial tree planting event at their Virginia location on April 22. Exide will be planting a tree per 10 tons of recyclable battery material. Green Earth Technologies will also be planting trees for each green flag lap in April.
For fans interested in participating in the NASCAR Green program, they can visit nascar.com/green. If anyone does this, they can donate a dollar to plant a tree in an area which was harmed by natural disasters.
Joseph Wolkin can be followed on Twitter at @JosephNASCAR.
