CONCORD, N.C. -- It's #NASCARGreen week.
NASCAR announced its third annual NASCAR Race to Green initiative Monday, which will culminate with Saturday night's race at Richmond International Raceway.
The initiative will build awareness around the programs the governing body, industry and partners have created to help protect and preserve the environment.
“NASCAR has the largest renewable energy, recycling and clean air programs in sports, but our sustainability platform is also about empowering fans to adopt new green-friendly behaviors,” said Brent Dewar, NASCAR chief operating officer. “NASCAR Race to Green celebrates the collective efforts of our industry and partners while teaching fans how they can contribute to a cleaner environment.”
This year, NASCAR and the Environmental Protection Agency have provided a quick quiz to help fans measure their environmental impact. At NASCAR.com/green, it will also provide tips on how to reduce fans' carbon footprint.
During #NASCARGreen week, the color green will be featured prominently -- including on the race cars, pit boxes, hauler flags and NASCAR officials' uniforms. Pictured above are the cars for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne from 2014 featuring green name plates.
Some of the other initiatives include Chevrolet coming together with Pocono Raceway and NASCAR Green to build sustainable habitats for threatened bats by repurposing recycled Chevrolet Volt battery covers. At Pocono Kids day in June, local children will be able to visit the Team Chevy display and build a habitat.
Since 2008, NASCAR Green has planted enough trees to completely offset carbon emissions for all NASCAR national series racing for the past five years, plus the next 40 years; put more than seven million competition miles on Sunoco Green E15, a biofuel blended with 15 percent American-made ethanol from American-grown corn; and features some of the largest renewable energy projects in the world, including Pocono Raceway’s 3MW Solar Farm, the track’s primary electric energy source powering more than 250 homes.