There could hardly be a better state to host a “green” Superbowl than Arizona, which needs to call attention to the very immediate realities of pollution and resource depletion and the importance of fast environmental action.

People are moving to the hot, dry state in droves—population there increased by over 800,000 people between 2000 and 2005 according to U.S. Census figures, more than the number of people that live in South Dakota or Vermont or Wyoming. By 2030, Arizona’s population is expected to double to close to 11 million people, the same time that water supplies will likely fail to meet demand. Not surprisingly, the state’s greenhouse gas emissions have risen at an alarming rate, putting the state among the top 10 for carbon dioxide emissions. In Arizona’s case, cars and coal-fired power plants are to blame. As those emissions send temperatures rising in summer months, the state faces increased droughts and water shortages. 

 

Phoenix, where the February 3 Superbowl XLII clash between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots will be held at the state-of-the-art University of Phoenix stadium, is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country.

 

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