MLS & Earth Day

By Anonymous (not verified), April 14, 2025

For Immediate Release
MLS Communications

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER CELEBRATES EARTH DAY WITH 8^TH ANNUAL GREENER GOALS WEEK OF SERVICE APRIL 14-22

MLS Is Measuring its Greenhouse Gas Impacts and Planting up to 30,000 Trees, taking steps to improve the communities where we live and play our games

NEW YORK (April 14, 2025) – Major League Soccer today kicks off its 8th Annual Greener Goals Week of Service, part of the league’s ongoing commitment to taking steps to address its environmental impact. This year’s efforts include a reforestation campaign, continued efforts to combat food insecurity through waste diversion, and Earth Week celebrations featuring adidas' “One Planet” pre-match jerseys made from recycled materials.

In partnership with One Tree Planted, MLS will plant 1,000 trees on behalf of each club — 30,000 trees in total in North America — to celebrate the League’s 30th season. The initiative will reforest 74 acres of land across North America, contributing to cleaner air and water, carbon storage, stabilized soils, and improved biodiversity. Fans can support the effort by visiting One Tree Planted to get involved.

Inspired by reforestation and natural ecosystems, MLS players will be sporting adidas One Planet pre-match jerseys in celebration of Earth Week. Titled “One Planet, One Chance”, the pre-match jerseys are made from recycled materials and come in two distinct colors representing the Woods (green) and Soil (yellow). The 2025 One Planet pre-match jerseys will be available at MLSstore.com and select club retail locations starting April 16^th11 a.m. ET.

MLS is also focused on implementing initiatives that address key environmental issues such as waste reduction and emissions monitoring. Below are some key actions being taken to drive positive environmental impact:

Food Waste Diversion: MLS club venues will divert more than 132 tons of unconsumed food this season to local food donation programs, reducing food waste while addressing food insecurity, enough to feed 132 individuals or 33 families of four for an entire year. This effort will also help avoid approximately 55 tons of greenhouse gas emissions, which is equivalent to taking approximately 12 cars off the road a year or the annual average electricity related to CO₂ emissions of 7 homes.
Emissions Monitoring: MLS is partnering with select club venues to pilot a tool that will track greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts from game-day operations in collaboration with Green2Sustainable. This initiative will allow venues to benchmark their environmental performance and explore opportunities for reducing emissions.

In line with these efforts, Austin FC, the host of the 2025 MLS All-Star Game, is leading the charge with its Evergreen Platform, presented by YETI. This year-round initiative focuses on sustainability efforts that encourage fans to join Austin FC in preserving and promoting the city’s green spaces. Built on three key pillars—green and clean, resource efficiency, and waste diversion, the platform exemplifies how MLS clubs are putting sustainability into action. The game’s venue, Q2 Stadium, also serves as a symbol of sustainability, having become, in 2024, the first soccer-specific stadium and the fifth sports venue globally to earn Total certification. More information on Austin FC and Q2 Stadium’s sustainability practices can be found at www.austinfc.com/evergreen.

Major League Soccer is committed to taking steps to address its environmental impacts and seeks to inspire clubs, players, partners, fans and staff to improve the communities where we live and play our games. For more information on Week of Service initiatives, including MLS Club and League Office efforts leading up to Earth Day visit MLSsoccer.com/greenergoals.

The 8

^th Annual Greener Goals Week of Service arrives during a period of great momentum behind the sport of soccer in North America with MLS’ 30^th season underway and the third season of MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. The U.S. is also preparing to host the Concacaf Gold Cup and FIFA Club World Cup taking place in 2025, as well as the FIFA World Cup across the U.S., Canada and Mexico in 2026.

GREENER GOALS WEEK OF SERVICE 2025 – MLS & CLUB INITIATIVES

MLS LEAGUE OFFICE	On Earth Day, April 22, League Office Staff will team up with GrowNYC to work on the Governors Island Teaching Garden in New York. The Governors Island Teaching Garden is an 8,000 square foot urban farm that aims to engage, excite, and educate its visitors in all aspects of urban farming.
ATLANTA UNITED	Atlanta United is proud to celebrate Earth Month and MLS’ Greener Goals initiative with a series of sustainability-focused events. Throughout April, our associates and community partners will take part in hands-on experiences that support biodiversity, urban agriculture and eco-conscious living. Highlights include beehive tours, herb sachet workshops with Bee Downtown and a DIY muscadine wreath workshop using upcycled materials from an annual vineyard pruning. There will also be three Spring Planting Days in collaboration with Love is Love Cooperative Farm. On April 12, the club’s annual Earth Month Match will spotlight alternate transportation and bike advocacy, featuring fan groups racing to Mercedes-Benz Stadium and sharing their journeys. And on Earth Day (April 22), the organization will unveil three new beehives at the Blank Family Foundation offices in Atlanta.
AUSTIN FC	On April 15, more than 100 volunteers – made up of members of Austin FC and various partners of the Club-- will collaborate to deliver our annual clean up event. This year Austin FC will partner with The Pease Park Conservancy to beautify the historic and beloved Pease Park and its surrounding stream and trails.
CHICAGO FIRE	In conjunction with MLS Greener Goals, the Chicago Fire will be celebrating Earth Day with a Club-wide staff volunteer project at Navarro Farm, a local non-profit and Fire partner. Navarro Farm, located in Frankfurt, Illinois, was founded with the purpose of creating a place for individuals with special needs to participate in an agricultural experience, and learn real-world skills, including farming. Fire employees will assist with a variety of Earth Day-themed projects such as gardening, weeding, and working in the farm’s butterfly garden, to support and highlight the important work local agricultural organizations are doing to feed their communities, combat greenhouse gas emissions, and offset the harm done to the environment through sustainability initiatives such as bee keeping.
COLORADO RAPIDS	In April, Rapids staff and players will take part in Greener Goals Week of Service along with hosting their annual Sustainability Night on April 12. For Sustainability Night, the team will be wearing the Headwaters Kit at home to raise awareness and generate funds for Colorado Water Trust, a homegrown nonprofit dedicated to restoring water to rivers and streams across the state of Colorado. Fans are also encouraged to donate to the club’s electronics recycling drive with Genesis Electronics. Finally, On April 21st, Rapids staff and players will gather at the Wetland Loop and Dahlia Trailhead along the Sand Creek Regional Greenway in Commerce City to pull weeds and pick up trash, enhancing the area’s natural beauty.
COLUMBUS CREW	As a part of Greener Goals Week of Service, the Columbus Crew are partnering with Rumpke for a field trip to Rumpke’s new recycling facility in downtown Columbus. Students from London City Schools, a partner district of the “Stay in the Game!” Attendance Network, will be invited to learn more about local sustainability efforts. During the tour of the recycling facility, the students will learn about the technology used by Rumpke and how recyclables are sorted and separated. The students will then be invited to attend the Columbus Crew’s Greener Goals match on April 26 vs. the San Jose Earthquakes to celebrate their commitment to both attendance and sustainability.
D.C. UNITED	D.C. United will welcome four community partners—Friends of Anacostia Park, Alliance for the Bay, Potomac Conservancy, and City Blossoms—to Audi Field during the Cherry Blossom match on April 12. This collaboration highlights the club's ongoing commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship, offering fans an opportunity to engage with local organizations making a positive impact across the DMV region.
FC CINCINNATI	In celebration of MLS Works Greener Goals week, FC Cincinnati will partner with Sleep In Heavenly Peace (SHP) a volunteer-driven nonprofit dedicated to building and delivering hand-made, fully furnished beds to children in need. SHP is the only charity providing hand-made ready-to-sleep-in beds to children who don’t have beds of their own. We will also be working with Scrap2Home and Hillman to create seating benches, which will be donated to elementary and high schools in the West End. Volunteers will help to transform reclaimed wood, otherwise destined for landfills, into benches made from rescued wood that otherwise would have ended up in a landfill.
FC DALLAS	In honor of MLS’ Greener Goals Week of Service, FC Dallas is teaming up with The Seed Project Foundation (SPF), an organization that funds educational, agricultural, and community initiatives focused on sustainability. Founded on the belief that investing in sustainable ideas today builds a more balanced future, SPF supports programs that create lasting ecological and social impact. As part of the initiative, FC Dallas staff will volunteer at McKinney Roots, SPF’s donation farm, which provides fresh, locally grown produce to food-insecure individuals by distributing to nonprofits, churches, and schools across Collin County.
HOUSTON DYNAMO FC	As part of MLS Greener Goals Week of Service, Houston Dynamo FC staff and players will volunteer at Memorial Park Conservancy on April 21, helping to beautify an important aspect of the city’s natural culture. The Club will support the Conservancy’s mission to preserve, restore and enhance Memorial Park for the enjoyment of all Houstonians, today and tomorrow. Memorial Park Conservancy is a private, nonprofit organization that operates and maintains 1,100 of the Park’s 1,500 acres.
LOS ANGELES FC	In celebration of Greener Goals Week, LAFC is partnering with TreePeople to host a volunteer day at Coldwater Canyon, where participants will work together to remove invasive species, install native plants, and maintain trails to help prevent erosion and wildfires. This collaboration aims to promote environmental sustainability and strengthen community involvement in local conservation efforts.
LA GALAXY	The six-time MLS Cup Champion LA Galaxy are set to make a lasting impact during the MLS Greener Goals Week of Service, running from April 14- April 22, as they engage with the Los Angeles community for a series of sustainability initiatives. On April 22nd, players and front office staff will roll up their sleeves at Annalee Elementary School in Carson, where they'll nurture the existing garden and build two new garden beds, fostering growth for years to come. In an exciting first, LA Galaxy will also leverage funds raised through California Redemption Value (CRV) to host their inaugural CRV-funded equipment donation and soccer clinic at Annalee Elementary, supporting the Protect the Pitch initiative. Then, on April 27th, the Galaxy will take the field in Adidas One Planet pre-match tops and highlight a local nonprofit focused on sustainability as their Community Partner of the Match. MLS Greener Goals Week of Service is dedicated to green goals and a brighter future for the beautiful game, the environment and the community.
INTER MIAMI CF	IMCF alongside Fracht will be partnering up with The Underline Miami to plant trees on earth day. The Underline Miami is "transforming the land below Miami's Metrotail into a 10-mile linear park, urban trail, and public art designation" This initiative will kick off early promotion of Frachts Theme Night on 4/26 where IMCF will showcase this year's Earth Day/ One Planet theme top.
MINNESOTA UNITED	In 2024, Minnesota United was the first professional or collegiate team to establish a permanent collection process at a stadium to collect pop tabs from aluminum cans to be recycled and, in turn, financially support Ronald McDonald House Charities. Fans collected over 20,000 pop tabs last season at Allianz Field, contributing to the long-running initiative that provides over $20,000 annually for the Ronald McDonald House Upper Midwest to support their programs. This year, MNUFC is partnering with our supporter groups and fans to amplify the impact of this program and increase our pop tab recycling efforts as part of our team's overall Greener Goals initiatives. In honor of 2025 Greener Goals Week of Service, MNUFC front office staff and fans will be volunteering together at a Ronald McDonald House location in Minneapolis on April 19.
CF MONTRÉAL	CF Montréal is proud to partner with Ville en Vert for a day of volunteering dedicated to urban agriculture and food security. This event, organized as part of Greener Goals week, illustrates our commitment to sustainable development and support for local communities. Together, we're cultivating a greener, more caring future.
NASHVILLE SC	Nashville Soccer Club is celebrating Greener Goals this April by hosting its annual Greener Goals Match on April 26 vs. Chicago Fire FC where the team will recognize local individuals and organizations positively impacting the environment, providing $5,000 to support youth-led climate change projects in the Nashville area, hosting a Day of Service in partnership with the Cumberland River Compact to plant trees and pick up litter, and facilitating educational workshops with Urban Green Labs where fans and club partners can learn how to live more sustainably.
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION	On Tuesday, April 15, Revolution players and staff will recognize their commitment to One Planet by spending the afternoon cleaning the grounds, planting beds, and prepping the greenhouse at VA Boston Healthcare System's Brockton, MA campus. The VA Boston Healthcare System's Farm-to-Table greenhouse and garden provide fresh, organic food for resident Veterans, meaningful work for volunteers, and Compensated Work Therapy participants, and a natural, calming space for healing. VA Boston Healthcare System's Farm-to-Table program is one of only two such programs throughout the United States.
NEW YORK RED BULLS	The New York Red Bulls, in partnership with Audi Usa, have a "Goals for Growth" initiative where they plant four trees for every regular season goal scored by the team. On Earth Day, the New York Red Bulls and Audi will volunteer with the Greater Newark Conservancy for a day of planting and maintaining the community garden as part of the Learning Center on site.
ORLANDO CITY SC	To celebrate Earth Day and as part of MLS Greener Goals Week of Service, Orlando City staff and supporters joined together with Orlando City District and Parramore organization to clean up the neighborhoods around Inter&Co Stadium. Volunteers worked to collect over 50 bags of trash and also filled a recycling container in just 3 hours of work. Orlando City also partnered with Conservation Florida to help prepare a new nature reserve that is set to open in May.
PHILADELPHIA UNION	The Philadelphia Union is proud to celebrate Greener Goals during April with various events focusing on refurbishment, renewal, and clean-up in the Chester community. The Union will refurbish four planters at Edgemont Scholars Academy during the week of April 7th. The planters will contain new flowers, vegetables and herbs, courtesy of Subaru of America Inc., while the Philadelphia Horticultural Society will teach the students how to maintain all the plants in the planters. The Union, in conjunction with Subaru, Burns and CRC, will host a clean-up throughout the Union Campus and plant 30 trees at Barry Bridge Park on April 15. Lastly, the Union will have a wood carver from M plus F Creations to carve a five-foot snake for their home game on April 19th. The snake will be auctioned off and proceeds will be donated to a local sustainability non-profit.
PORTLAND TIMBERS	The Portland Timbers will be celebrating MLS' Greener Goals Week starting April 20, 2025. On Tuesday, April 22nd (Earth Day), Timbers front office staff will be volunteering at the Kindness Farm. Additionally, the Timbers and Providence Park will be hosting the kickoff of the annual We Believe in Portland Cleanup, consisting of up to 1,000 volunteers that will be cleaning up downtown Portland.
REAL SALT LAKE	Real Salt Lake will be doing an Earth Day River Clean Up event on April 23rd. Players, coaches and staff from RSL, Real Monarchs and Utah Royals FC will come together under the Club’s “One Utah” umbrella to volunteer. The stakes are high for Utah residents and the ultimate goal is to protect the Great Salt Lake. Without intervention to create renewable energy and improve the air quality and clean the water supplies of Utah residents, starting with the Jordan River revitalization, we risk weakening mountain snowpack and damaging local and global industries, all while risking the collapse of the Lake’s ecosystem. All Utahns need to care about this issue because the health of Utah – our economy, our air, our water supply and our wildlife – are what’s at stake. Protecting the Great Salt Lake protects Utah.
SAN DIEGO FC	To celebrate Earth Day in 2025, club staff will partner with the San Diego River Park Foundation and San Diego Gas & Electric staff to beautify the new River Center at Grant Park followed by lunch & team building activities. This project transformed a former sand mining pit into a vibrant community destination that celebrates the San Diego River’s natural and cultural significance. The River Center features a 9,000-square-foot building designed for educational programs, meetings, and community events. The facility includes an outdoor classroom, volunteer staging areas, an interpretive water feature, native landscape restoration, and an observation pier along the San Diego River. The center serves as a model for developments adjacent to the river, emphasizing environmental sustainability and community engagement. To celebrate Arbor Day on April 25. 2025 club staff will partner with the City of San Diego Urban Forestry department to enhance our local green spaces at Colina del Sol Park. This event brings community members together to play a key role in tree planting efforts, including lifting trees, filling planting holes, spreading mulch, and watering to ensure their success. This is a great opportunity to roll up your sleeves, connect with the community, and make a lasting impact on the environment.
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES	The San Jose Earthquakes and PayPal Park are proud to be continuing their food recovery program, donating unused food after each home game and event at PayPal Park to Martha’s Kitchen, a local nonprofit dedicated to fighting food insecurity. The Earthquakes donated 6,500 pounds of food through the program in 2024 alone and are on pace to reach that number again this year, with the next occasion taking place during Greener Goals Week after the club’s April 19 match against Sporting Kansas City.
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC	Sounders FC is working alongside its partner Providence and Forterra, a local nonprofit centered around sustainability, for a day of service at Crystal Springs Park in Tukwila, Washington to celebrate Earth Month and as part of its MLS Greener Goals Week of Service efforts. Club staff will be joined by leaders and caregivers from Providence for a day of tree-planting and restoration work to aid in revitalizing the local park.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY	Sporting Kansas City is teaming up with the Heartland Tree Alliance in partnership with Kansas City Parks and Recreation for a day of service during the week of Earth Day and Arbor Day by planting trees at Corrington Park on April 24. The club’s front office staff will volunteer alongside Sporting KC players in support of Kansas City’s initiative to plant 10,000 trees by Summer 2026 as part of an environmental effort to improve the urban tree canopy to enhance green spaces for a healthy, sustainable community. The day of service aligns with “Sporting Sustainability Month” during which Sporting Kansas City will showcase the club’s multi-faceted platform to reduce food waste, raise awareness for recycling and composting, renewable energy sources and water conservation.
ST. LOUIS CITY SC	St. Louis CITY SC continues work under their sustainability platform, Our CITY, including targeting zero-waste matchdays with Goal: ZERO, diverting more than 90% of waste from landfills. This year, CITY is adding to the Our CITY sustainability efforts by powering every matchday certified renewable energy, implementing new sorting technology, participating in soccer equipment donation drives with Passback, and joining the St. Louis Earth Day Festival to connect with fans of sustainability and activate CITY Futures to play soccer mini-games with local youth.
TORONTO FC	To commemorate the 2025 MLS season’s Greener Goals initiative, Toronto FC is pleased to highlight the club’s extensive food recovery program through their partnership with Second Harvest since 2011. Understanding that according to Statistics Canada, approximately 8.7 million Canadians including 2.1 million children live in food insecure households, Toronto FC is committed to recover excess food from all its properties to ensure the club minimizes waste and plays its part in battling food insecurity by donating over 35,000 lbs. of food to date across the Greater Toronto Area. Throughout the Greener Goals Week of Service, TFC Staff, players, and alumni will volunteer their time to recover, sort, and deliver food to communities facing food insecurity.
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC	In support of the MLS Greener Goals Week of Service, Vancouver Whitecaps FC will be visiting Admiral Seymour Elementary School and will be providing a soccer clinic followed by an Earth Day assembly. As part of the assembly the students will be learning the importance of the environment and then Whitecaps FC players and staff will participate in a school ground clean-up.