This Sunday around a hundred million of us will set ourselves up in front of the TV and put on our game faces for some serious Super Bowl watching. If you gave up on green the moment Green Bay was eliminated from contention, however, you’re throwing in the towel too early. Even though the Super Bowl has an environmental impact that’s almost as big as the number of fans watching, there are plenty of super easy ways to tackle your eco-impact. Here’s our playbook to getting your game watching as green as astroturf.

EAT
Most of us have a tendency to make enough Super Bowl snacks to feed an entire team–or at least a couple very hungry linebackers–and that’s not always a good thing. Sure, it’s great to have an endless spread, but are Americans really going to eat the entire 15,000 tons of chips they’ll collectively purchase? Not only is this excess bad for our bodies (which are getting dragged to work in the morning), it ain’t easy on the environment–just think about how many un-recyclable chip bags 15,000 tons of chips require. So when you’re buying Super Bowl snacks, stay realistic about how much is needed and look for locally-sourced items, which don’t have the same level of carbon emissions as imported goods that must be transported in from long distances. Also, veer toward veggies for as many of your edible offerings as possible. Meat is a surprising environmental enemy, contributing to deforestation, grassland reduction and global warming.

When it’s time to serve your spread, try and use your regular–and reusable–plates and cutlery and load them up in the dishwasher after, which is not only better for your hands, but beats out washing by hand in terms of environmental friendliness. If you’re too worried about someone fumbling your fine china, pick up 100% recycled plastic plates and cutlery (we like the colorful options from Preserve) or compostable plates made from sugar cane–both choices won’t cost much more than regular disposable varieties and offer all the same conveniences.

DRINK
All this exciting football is making Americans thirsty…about 10.5 million barrels of beer thirsty, in fact. Since it’s in such large quantity, the growing of all that barley and hops and the transporting of all those brewskies can take a real toll on the earth. For sustainable suds, buy from a local brewery and go for a keg (extra points if you opt for organic), which won’t mean bunches of bottles and cans and may save you a little money, too. Serve the foamy stuff in your everyday glasses (if you have enough of them) or, just like with food serving, offer guests recycled plastic cups or 100% biodegradable cups made from corn.

If a keg would be complete overkill, go ahead and get the 6-pack or case; just remember to recycle all the bottles and cans. Bring them to a place that offers rebates for returning them and the earnings may even help you cover your costs.

BE MERRY (Unless Your Team Loses)
The fun of being a fan is the actual viewing of the game (or the commercials, depending your interests) and that means turning on the TV. Almost 3 million people will buy a new screen for Super Bowl Sunday and if you’re considering it, there are a few things to know. First, your investment may be bigger than the initial price tag; some big screen sets use more energy in a month than your refrigerator, boosting your electricity bill significantly (and adding to your carbon footprint, too). If you do decided to go for a new TV, choose an Energy Star-certified model that meets new, more stringent requirements about “vampire power” (the energy your TV uses when it’s technically turned off). For ways to watch greener once you get your set home, check out MSN Green’s Buyer’s Guide to Televisions.

On the big day, counter some of the energy drain of your big screen (and its viewers) by keeping lights off in other areas of your house, remembering to turn off the oven and unplug appliances as soon as you’re finished using them in the kitchen, and using throw blankets–in team colors, perhaps?–to keep people warm (and an open window if you need to cool things down when people get heated over ref’s calls).

FINAL SCORE
By integrating one or more of these small and easy steps, we’re confident that come kick-off you’ll be celebrating the Super Bowl sustainably–while having just as much fun as you always do–and regardless of whether the Steelers or the Cardinals win, the planet will be pleased with your plays. Finally, if you’re wondering who we at Greenzer are rooting for, the answer is…the NFL Environmental Program, of course.

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