Kiera McGuire
Features Editor
On Sunday, Nov. 17, The College of Wooster hosted a sustainability trip to Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse to watch the Cleveland Cavaliers play the Charlotte Hornets in the Cavaliers’ fight to go 14-0. This trip allowed students to explore sustainability practices within the Cavs organization and prompted for further eco-friendly practices on and off campus.
Upon arrival at the Rocket Mortgage Stadium in Cleveland, the group attended a discussion panel with managers, supervisors and sustainability organizers from the team to learn about the Cavs’ sustainability practices.
“The sustainability panel exceeded my expectations,” Kenzie Morris ’25 said. “I went into it all pretty skeptical that it was all greenwashing, but the Cavs are making huge improvements.”
Greenwashing refers to a marketing technique where corporations use deceptive techniques to trick consumers into believing that they are being more eco-friendly than they actually are. Brian Webb, the director of campus sustainability at the College, was also excited to notice that the Cavs’ sustainability efforts would have tangible effects. “It was great to hear what the Cavs are doing with sustainability. They passed my ‘greenwashing’ filter and seem to be legitimately interested in making a positive environmental impact, especially compared to other professional sports teams.”
During the panel, students learned what organizations the team currently works with to be more sustainable and promote pro-environmental behavior inside the arena.
Waste Management (WM) is one organization that has collaborated with the Cavs and the Cleveland Monsters this season through the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. The executive vice president and chief venues and development officer for Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse and the Cavs, Antony Bonavita, has been quoted in saying “WM’s mission is to “advance [the] current sustainability efforts and find additional ways to make a positive impact on the environment.” Cavs’ collaborators also included Rust Belt Riders, a food composting company, MCPC, a technology company, and The Davey Tree Expert Company.
The Cavs’ push to become more sustainable has been groundbreaking for the NBA. In Jan. 2024, the team became the first in the NBA to hire a “senior level sustainability leader,” according to an article from Greater Cleveland Partnership. Senior leader Danielle Doza focuses on the intersectionality between sports and eco-friendly behavior, advocating for a greater shift within both the Cavs and the NBA as a whole to showcase their respect for the environment.
“We see the importance not only in enhancing our operations, but in enhancing our social environmental impact,” Doza said.
After the sustainability panel, Wooster students got a tour of Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse and were invited to sit close to the arena floor, watch the Cavs warm up and play in the game.
The new Cavs “Threes for Trees” program promises to plant a tree for every shot made from the three point line. The Cavs swept the Hornets out of the stadium with an astonishing 128-114 win, cementing them as the number one team in the Eastern Conference, joining a group of only five other teams to go 14-0.
For more information about what the College is doing to be more sustainable, attend the next Green Scots meeting on Monday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. in Longbrake Commons.