Home > About Us > Environment > What Our Partners Do > The Greening of Sports

Esurance is both proud and excited to sponsor a number of sports teams and events, but as important to us as showing a little home team pride is taking pride in the world in which we live. As part of our continued commitment to protect the environment, we've initiated programs with several of our sports partners to make games and events as eco-friendly as possible.

The Sacramento River Cats, Green Awareness Weekend

Esurance partnered with the Sacramento River Cats for "Green Awareness Weekend" June 6-8 at Raley Field. The 3-day event, aimed at raising environmental awareness among attending fans, featured a number of green events, including an organic jersey auction and a reusable grocery bag giveaway. In addition, a representative from Project Learning Tree, an environmental education program and one of Esurance's many youth education and environmental partners, threw out the first pitch before the game on Saturday, June 7.

In honor of the event, River Cats players sported organic jerseys for each of the weekend's 3 games. Before Saturday night's game, the Esurance Eco-Friendly Jersey Auction took place, raising $1,000. All net proceeds from the auction are being donated to the Sacramento Tree Foundation. The event drew over 30,000 fans throughout the weekend.

For more information about other ways the River Cats are promoting environmental awareness, visit http://www.rivercats.com/green.

The Denver Outlaws, Investing in the Future

Next time you go to INVESCO Field to cheer on the Denver Outlaws, check out their new recycling center! Esurance teamed up with the Outlaws and INVESCO to install the new center and to raise fan awareness of the importance of recycling. We've also worked hard to promote the use of public transportation, so be sure to take Regional Transportation District (RTD) to the game! 

In addition, during a special ceremony before the July 17 All-Star Game, Esurance planted 6 new trees at the Sports Legends Mall. Through all of these efforts, we're working to keep INVESCO Field green and to make Outlaw games enjoyable for many future generations.

The Esurance Tennis Classic, A "Zero Impact" Event

At Esurance, we're always volleying for change. In 2008 we're working hard to make the Esurance Tennis Classic "zero impact," by doing the following:

• Installing more recycling bins at the event
• Printing our event program with soy-based inks and partially recycled paper
• Replacing halogen lamps with fluorescent and CFL bulbs
• Using a caterer who buys locally and organically grown produce
• Providing bike racks and a shuttle to the clubhouse

We're also working with NativeEnergy to provide carbon offsets for event attendees. Attendees will be given the opportunity to offset their travel to the event by either visiting www.esurance.com/tennis or by stopping by the Esurance booth.

All carbon offsets purchased for attendees will go to The Makira Forest Project, which works to help secure sustainable management of the Makira Forest in Northeast Madagascar.

The San Francisco Giants & Earth Day

The San Francisco Giants take pride in being a civic leader in supporting and promoting environmentally focused initiatives. In 2007, AT&T Park was the first MLB ballpark to install solar panels that contribute energy to the city's power grid. They also installed a new high-definition Diamond Vision™ scoreboard that uses 78% less energy than the former scoreboard.

On April 16, 2008 Esurance scored a home run for the environment by teaming up with the Giants to celebrate the first ever Earth Day at AT&T Park. At the event, we donated $50,000 to Friends of the Urban Forest, an organization dedicated to keeping San Francisco's neighborhoods clean and green!

ICER AIR, A Totally Green Event

We flipped out over the chance to sponsor Esurance ICER AIR for the third year in a row. ICER AIR has long been an eco-conscious event, but this year, Esurance and ICER AIR teamed up to make the 2008 event the biggest, baddest, and greenest event ever! In an effort to make the event as environmentally low impact as possible, we will:

• Implement an extensive reduce, reuse, recycle program onsite
• Recycle signage from 2007 through Venue Creations signage methods
  and printed promo materials on recycled paper
• Encourage people to carpool and take public transportation
• Provide bicycle valets for attendees who ride their bikes
• Provide an online ticket process in order to eliminate mailing
• Use cups, plates, napkins, and cutlery made with recycled materials

In addition, Esurance ICER AIR has ensured that all partners, vendors, and sub-contractors use recycled-content paper in copiers and printers, conserve printing documents from emails, order in bulk when possible to avoid excess packaging, and recycle used toner and printer packages. Just a few of the many ways we're working together for a greener world.

Together with these conscientious teams and event organizers, Esurance is teaming up to attack, lob, slam, and score against global warming! We hope that you'll come out to support these amazing teams, and also join us in our efforts to help eliminate pollution and waste. Go Team Green!

Learn more about Esurance's environmental efforts, and find out which teams we sponsor in your area.