In a Friday morning announcement, the Seattle Kraken declared Pepsi as the official soft drink of Climate Pledge Arena. In addition to serving their own array of beverages, PepsiCo plans on adhering to the arena’s namesake and commit to curbing climate change while they’re here.
By 2024, Climate Pledge Arena (or the Greenhouse, as I’m determined to make it known) has stated that it will be 100% free of single-use plastics—a commitment now shared by the Pepsi brand. The soft drink giant has also taken the pledge to become a net-zero carbon emissions company by 2040.
Seattle, the emerald city, has long been known as one of the greenest areas in the United States—both in terms of the literal color of the landscape and in terms of a general commitment to the environment. One 2019 study declared it the sixth-most eco-friendly major city in the country. With that in mind, it always made sense that their newest sports arena would become one of the most eco-friendly sports venues in the world. So although the name is admittedly a bit of a mouthful, the Climate Pledge Arena is in the end aiming for some all-around good goals—my personal favorite being the use of rainwater collected from the roof being the primary source of water used in the making of the ice sheet. This new drink partnership continues their stated sustainability goals.
In addition to the agreement regarding drink sales inside the arena, Pepsi also announced that a monorail train at the Seattle Center will be wrapped to become the Pepsi Zero Sugar Express. Fans taking the monorail to the Kraken’s opening home game have been promised “epic, unapologetic fan giveaways,” which has been confirmed by Kraken forward Yanni Gourde.
Lastly, Pepsi has also announced that it will be donating a sum total $30,000 split between two charities—the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition (DRCC) and Bike Works.
The community surrounding the Duwamish River, one of the more ethnically diverse communities in the area, suffers adverse health effects caused by one of the more polluted areas in Seattle. The DRCC is committed to cleaning and maintaining the neighborhood to improve the lives of its residents.
Bike Works is an organization dedicated to educating and empowering youth through bicycle repair classes and clubs. The group also seeks to make biking a more common form of transportation, which can remove cars from the road and reduce local carbon emissions.
So when you head down to the next Kraken game at the Greenhouse (it’s gonna stick), be sure to give the monorail a try if you’re able to. It helps a great cause and who knows, you could end up with some sweet Kraken swag on your way out.
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