↵What do Gheorghe Muresan, Ron Artest’s brother Daniel, former Maryland Terrapin Byron Mouton and Washington Post writer (and former TSB contributor) Dan Steinberg have in common?↵
The Greenest Team on the Planet: Maryland GreenHawks
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↵↵They were all present for the announcement that the Maryland NightHawks of the ABA are officially changing their name to the Maryland GreenHawks, and going full-on ‘environmental’ starting this season. Steinz has the story:↵
↵↵⇥Look, this is going to take some getting used to for all of us. The NightHawks--who claim to be the nation’s longest-running minor-league basketball franchise--have gone green, changing their name, attracting green-friendly sponsors like Honest Tea and Sweet Green and CarbonFund.org, and holding an introductory event at which the promise of a bamboo court, hemp nets and uniforms made from either recycled plastic or recycled bamboo were floated.↵⇥
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↵⇥“I don’t really know much about recycling, I just know blue bin and green bin, pretty much that’s it,” said Artest, who quickly became the favorite quote of the team’s media contingent. “But if it’s good, then I’m all for it. I guess we need cleaner air, cleaner streets, and I’m just all for it. I’m just glad to be here, to have an opportunity to play basketball. Anything for the good, I’m for it.”↵↵↵Steinberg explains that the plan is to reduce the carbon footprint left by a home schedule (played at Wootton High) as well as travel from 10 road trips and whatever is emitted from the team’s corporate headquarters, which can’t be much more than a few folding chairs and cardboard boxes for desks in the ABA. Maybe they’ll switch to recycled cardboard.↵
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↵Tom Doyle, owner of the GreenHawks, claims this is not just a publicity stunt, and that the team, which starts their season in January, will begin to recycle their old shoes and develop a game ball made of recycled materials. The change is not only to raise awareness, but also to grow sponsorship opportunities and of course, fill seats. The publicity should help do all of those things. Just hope that if you go and support the new GreenHawks, you're not stuck in the seat behind Muresan. You won't be able to see a thing. ↵
↵↵Let’s hope this works, and more teams -- at all levels -- follow the trend of the GreenHawks.↵
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This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.
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