Cities work on sustainability for Final Four in Phoenix area [Video]

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Hours before the University of Connecticut faces Purdue University in the Men’s Final Four championship game on Monday night, the Phoenix Local Organizing Committee shared its plans for sustainability.

Big events often lead to a big footprint, but this year, both Phoenix and Glendale are working toward being carbon neutral.

“APS is providing 100% clean energy for the duration of Fan Fest here so they’re doing that through renewable energy certificates and trying to offset the energy that is used here,” said Jennie Patel, head of Social Responsibility and Volunteers for the Phoenix Local Organizing Committee.

March Madness is a three-week event.

In 2019, the tournament created the same amount of emissions that a large university creates in an entire year. Travel is responsible for nearly 80% of that.

“We really work with the event producers ahead of time. We send them a survey and try to capture the data of what is going to be used and what …