EAST RUTHERFORD, N. Air Force 1 Alte Liberty .J. - Think of the Super Bowl and you think of excess: Big money, big parties, big crowds and an even bigger mess left behind when the circus leaves town. Well, at least the messy part is getting smaller. Beginning in the 1990s, the National Football League has sought to gradually reduce the footprint left behind by the Big Game, and the league is taking steps to make the Feb. 2 Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium the most environmentally friendly yet, from planting trees to offset carbon emissions to composting food waste to using biodiesel to power generators. "We try and stay ahead of the curve," said Jack Groh, a consultant who directs the NFLs environmental programs. "We try and push the envelope every year." Most of the attention focused on this years Super Bowl is, understandably, on the challenges of holding it outdoors in the Northeast for the first time. Another, less-celebrated first: MetLife Stadium will compost food waste on game day, the first time thats happened at a Super Bowl. Its not new for the stadium. Dave Duernberger, MetLife Stadiums vice-president of facilities, said the stadium produced 195 tons of food waste for composting last year, up from 153 tons the year before. Duernberger expects about seven or eight tons to be generated during the Super Bowl, which will go into a giant compactor and then be trucked to a local facility for processing. The end product can be used for landscaping. Another innovation is the use of biodiesel fuel processed from waste cooking oil. According to Groh, a biodiesel mix will be used in generators that will power Super Bowl Boulevard, the 13-block party on Broadway that will feature entertainment and a giant toboggan slide, as well as generators that are augmenting the power supply on the MetLife Stadium grounds. The head of Public Service Electric & Gas, the utility that provides power to the complex, has estimated that it will take about 18 megawatts of electricity to power the entire complex for the game, or what would be needed to power 12,000 homes. Of that, PSE&G president Ralph LaRossa said as much as six megawatts could be provided by the generators. Greening the Super Bowl has been a passion project for Groh, who started out as a journalist before forming an environmental communications firm with his wife. He did his first work for the NFL at the 1994 Super Bowl in Atlanta, at a time when the simple recycling of plastic bottles and cans at stadiums was a significant step forward. He continuously seeks out new ways to wring as much value out of things that normally would be discarded. For example, in the weeks leading up to this years Super Bowl, the NFL sponsored e-waste recycling events in New York and New Jersey that collected 9,000 pounds of old phones, computers and other gadgets, according to Verizon, which partnered in the program. Tens of thousands of trees have been planted in the metropolitan area to offset carbon emissions created by the game, Groh said. After the game, the league will donate several miles of fabric signage to nonprofits or other groups for repurposing. In New Orleans, Groh said, local designers took the fabric and used it to make purses, dresses, shower curtains, beanbag chairs, tote bags and wallets. "Our primary objective is to see that it doesnt go to a landfill," he said. The efforts have drawn a thumbs-up from the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club, whose president, Jeff Tittel, called the programs "good for the environment and good for the NFLs image." "The NFL is doing a better job reducing greenhouse gases and offsetting carbon than the state of New Jersey is," said Tittel, a consistent critic of Gov. Chris Christies environmental policies. "Thats the irony, they understand climate change better than our governor does." Air Force 1 Alte Premium . According to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger, the Maple Leafs have trade offers on the table for the 26-year-old, but none have been deemed acceptable by the team. Air Force 1 Alte Graphic . The 26-year-old Sobotka injured his left leg playing for the St. Louis Blues in a 3-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday. The Blues said he would not recover from the injury in time for the Olympic tournament.BRIDGEND -- Bernhard Langer won his second Senior British Open championship on Sunday, finishing a record 13 strokes clear of Colin Montgomerie of Scotland for his third senior major title. The German added a closing 4-under 67 Sunday at sunny Royal Porthcawl to his earlier rounds of 65-66-68 for an 18-under 266. Langers 13-stroke win is the largest margin of victory in a senior major, beating Hale Irwins 12-stroke win in the Senior PGA Championship in 1997, while he almost doubled Bob Charles record of seven strokes in the British event, set at Turnberry back in 1989. Langer won the 2010 Senior British Open at Carnoustie and lost in a playoff last year at Royal Birkdale. He also won the Senior Players Championship last month. Montgomerie shot 2-under 69 to finish at 5-under 279 after starting with a share of seventh place. Tom Pernice Jr. of the United States, Barry Lane of England and Rick Gibson of Canada were three further shots back, tied for third on 2-under 282. "The golf course is unbelievably tough," Langer said. "To have this weather for four days is unreal, its like playing in Florida with a bit of wind. "The secret was I didnt make too many mistakes and my driver was very good and my long putting was excellent, although not quite today as I was lacking a little. Perhaps my lead was too big." While the stiff breeze sent many scores soaring, Langer displayed the same immaculate control that saw him lead throughout, going into the final day eight strokes ahead of Gibson. At the turn Langer had stretched his lead to 13, going out in 3-under 32 to Gibsons 2-over 37. Air Force 1 Alte Victorious Minotaur. Langer birdied both the second, when he holed from eight feet, and the third from five feet. He dropped a shot at the fourth when his approach only reached the front edge and he putted up to three feet and missed. He left his eagle putt at the long sixth on the lip, then bagged his fourth birdie at the seventh. He moved 14 clear when Gibson had a bogey at the 10th, but then Langer missed his par putt at 11, in what was only his fifth bogey of the week. Langer claimed his fifth birdie of the day at the short No. 12, then posted five straight pars before finding the final green in two and two-putting for a closing birdie, his 23rd of the tournament. Montgomeries closing 69 saw him win what he called "the other competition." He dropped two strokes early on but then birdied the sixth and eighth to be level at the turn. He parred seven holes on the run from Nos. 9 through 16 before birdies at the last two to move clear of the rest of the chasers. Gibson, second overnight, struggled on the final day, closing with a 4-over 75 while Pernice and Lane shot 70 and 72 respectively. Americans Bob Tway (76) and Scott Dunlap (75) shared sixth place on level par 284, one ahead of Argentinas Miguel Angel Jimenez (68) and Kirk Triplett (70) of the United States. Tom Watson and Fred Couples struggled on the final day. Watson posted a 6-over 77 with fellow American Couples one worse, to finish on 286 and 288 respectively. Watson finished in a share of 10th alongside countryman Russ Cochran. Couples was tied for 13th. ' ' '
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