ESPN's commitment to the environment will be showcased at the 2015 ESPYS, as the event will be carbon-neutral for the seventh consecutive year.
And as was the case for past editions of the ESPYS, ESPN has set a target of 90 percent waste diversion for all events connected to the awards show, which will air live from the Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live on Wednesday, July 15 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
To make the 2015 ESPYS carbon-neutral, ESPN is taking numerous steps to minimize the use of fossil fuels and prevent pollution. These include using hydrogen fuel cells to power the lights that will illuminate the red carpet, transporting guests in multi-passenger vehicles instead of limousines, using hybrid and flex-fuel vehicles and collecting waste grease from catering and concessions for future use as biodiesel.
The remaining greenhouse gas emissions will be mitigated with carbon offsets. In past years, these have included investments by ESPN in forest conservation programs and in habitat restoration along the Los Angeles River.
To divert as much waste as possible from landfills, ESPN will employ innovative waste reduction and recovery strategies and extensive recycling efforts. These include using fully-compostable cups and dining utensils for catering, backstage hospitality and concessions, and refillable water bottles and refilling stations, eliminating more than 2,000 single-use plastic water bottles.
Sets for the show are being built with wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council where possible, and set and décor elements are being designed so they can be reused. And even the red carpet that will welcome ESPYS nominees, honorees and celebrity guests is a green initiative; it's made from 50,000 recycled water bottles and will be reused after the event and recycled at the end of its usable life.
These efforts are being made for two functions, each attended by more than 3,000 people, as well as the ESPN Celebrity Golf Classic and all the hotels serving the ESPYS.
In 2014, through comprehensive recycling, composting and responsible purchasing, the event generated half the total waste that it did in 2010, and 85 percent of all waste was diverted from the landfill.