NHL to purchase carbon offsets to counter playoff travel

The National Hockey League (NHL) plans to purchase carbon offsets to balance its air travel for the Stanley Cup playoffs, the league announced Monday.

The NHL will purchase offsets for all four rounds of the postseason, the equivalent of roughly 2,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, according to the league. In the first round of the postseason, when the greatest number of NHL teams will be traveling, the NHL plans to offset over 465 metric tons of emissions, which the league says is the equivalent of removing 99 cars from the road for a year.

{mosads}“Last season, the NHL published its second Sustainability Report, which assesses the League’s environmental impact and its commitment to ensure all levels of hockey – on frozen ponds, community rinks, or in-arena – thrive for future generations,” the NHL said. “The Report highlights results of various environmental efforts including: water restoration, landfill reduction, efficient electricity use, sustainable landscaping, and increased recycling.”

The NHL will purchase its offsets from Bonneville Environmental Foundation, an environmental nonprofit based in Portland, Ore.

The announcement comes shortly after Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I-Vt.) presidential campaign announced that it plans to offset all travel-related emissions.

“We are proud to lead the way in the fight against climate change by acting boldly to move our energy system away from fossil fuels and towards sustainable energy sources,” campaign manager Faiz Shakir said in a statement.