EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Think of the Super Bowl and you think of excess: Big money, big parties, big crowds and an even bigger mess left behind when the circus leaves town. Well, at least the messy part is getting smaller. Beginning in the 1990s, the National Football League has sought to gradually reduce the footprint left behind by the Big Game, and the league is taking steps to make the Feb. 2 Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium the most environmentally friendly yet, from planting trees to offset carbon emissions to composting food waste to using biodiesel to power generators. "We try and stay ahead of the curve," said Jack Groh, a consultant who directs the NFLs environmental programs. "We try and push the envelope every year." Most of the attention focused on this years Super Bowl is, understandably, on the challenges of holding it outdoors in the Northeast for the first time. Another, less-celebrated first: MetLife Stadium will compost food waste on game day, the first time thats happened at a Super Bowl. Its not new for the stadium. Dave Duernberger, MetLife Stadiums vice-president of facilities, said the stadium produced 195 tons of food waste for composting last year, up from 153 tons the year before. Duernberger expects about seven or eight tons to be generated during the Super Bowl, which will go into a giant compactor and then be trucked to a local facility for processing. The end product can be used for landscaping. Another innovation is the use of biodiesel fuel processed from waste cooking oil. According to Groh, a biodiesel mix will be used in generators that will power Super Bowl Boulevard, the 13-block party on Broadway that will feature entertainment and a giant toboggan slide, as well as generators that are augmenting the power supply on the MetLife Stadium grounds. The head of Public Service Electric & Gas, the utility that provides power to the complex, has estimated that it will take about 18 megawatts of electricity to power the entire complex for the game, or what would be needed to power 12,000 homes. Of that, PSE&G president Ralph LaRossa said as much as six megawatts could be provided by the generators. Greening the Super Bowl has been a passion project for Groh, who started out as a journalist before forming an environmental communications firm with his wife. He did his first work for the NFL at the 1994 Super Bowl in Atlanta, at a time when the simple recycling of plastic bottles and cans at stadiums was a significant step forward. He continuously seeks out new ways to wring as much value out of things that normally would be discarded. For example, in the weeks leading up to this years Super Bowl, the NFL sponsored e-waste recycling events in New York and New Jersey that collected 9,000 pounds of old phones, computers and other gadgets, according to Verizon, which partnered in the program. Tens of thousands of trees have been planted in the metropolitan area to offset carbon emissions created by the game, Groh said. After the game, the league will donate several miles of fabric signage to nonprofits or other groups for repurposing. In New Orleans, Groh said, local designers took the fabric and used it to make purses, dresses, shower curtains, beanbag chairs, tote bags and wallets. "Our primary objective is to see that it doesnt go to a landfill," he said. The efforts have drawn a thumbs-up from the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club, whose president, Jeff Tittel, called the programs "good for the environment and good for the NFLs image." "The NFL is doing a better job reducing greenhouse gases and offsetting carbon than the state of New Jersey is," said Tittel, a consistent critic of Gov. Chris Christies environmental policies. "Thats the irony, they understand climate change better than our governor does." Rod Woodson Jersey .com) - St. Louis Blues right wing Vladimir Tarasenko, Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk and Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury have been selected as the NHLs top players for last week. Heath Miller Jersey . Reimer is winless (0-2-1) since returning from a six-week absence due to concussion-like symptoms. The Maple Leafs dropped a 4-2 decision to the hosting Washington Capitals on Friday. http://www.cheapsteelersjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-hines-ward-jersey . - The Clippers have signed guard Dahntay Jones to a second 10-day contract. Steelers Jerseys China . Lynchs attorney, Ivan Golde, told The Associated Press on Thursday of the plea deal that was reached with the Alameda County District Attorney Office. The plea will be formally entered in court in Oakland, Calif. Mike Wagner Jersey . -- Oakland Athletics third baseman Scott Sizemore has undergone surgery on his left knee to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament.HOUSTON -- James Harden and the Houston Rockets found their legs in time to get another big win. Harden scored 11 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter, helping Houston rally for a 100-92 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night. Coming off an impressive 111-98 win at San Antonio on Christmas, coach Kevin McHale said he could tell the Rockets were "draggy" during the pregame shootaround. But they still managed to outscore the Grizzlies 34-20 in the final period of their third victory in four games. Harden struggled from the field, going 2 for 9, but was a career-best 22 of 25 from the free throw line. He made 9 of 11 foul shots in the final quarter while matching a Rockets single-game record for made free throws set by Sleepy Floyd in 1991. Harden because the first player in NBA history to register 27 points on two or fewer made field goals. "Just being aggressive, being aggressive," Harden said of the free throws. "I couldnt make a shot. I just tried to get to the rim. We were kind of stagnant through the middle of the game, especially the third quarter, so I just wanted to get in attack mode." Houston star Dwight Howard battled foul trouble for most of the game and was held to two points and six rebounds. He was whistled for his fifth foul with 7:52 left in the third and never returned to the action. McHale said he wanted to get Howard back in the game, but the centres back stiffened while he was on the bench, and he liked the energy reserve Donatas Montiejunas brought to the game. "D-Mo played with energy," McHale said. "We were having a hard time getting our energy up. Last night was a big game. . Guys put a lot of emotional and physical effort in last nights game, and I really extended guys, and I extended them again tonight." Howard said he felt OK, but the guys on the court were playing well, and he didnt want to mess up their rhythm. Montiejunas only had four points but he played 23 minutes, including all of the fourth quarter, and was able to help slow Zach Randolph, who scored five points while playing all the fourth. Randolph, who had a team-high 23 points and 17 rebounds, said the officiating played a big role in the loss. "It was the refs tonight," said Randolph, who received a technical late in the fourth. "Eight against five. The game in the second half, a man was shooting free throws every time. We weere out there playing hard, and they were dictating the game.dddddddddddd. It cant be like that. We are out there playing, too. "It was horrible refereeing, it was a horrible game they reffed tonight. Awful. They dictated the game. We are out there working as hard as them." The Rockets made up for Howards slow night with four players in double figures. Terrence Jones scored 20 points, and Chandler Parsons had 15 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Jeremy Lin had 14 of his 18 points in the fourth. Trailing 76-66 with 10:55 to go, Houston used a 21-5 run over nearly six minutes to take an 87-81 lead on two Harden free throws with five minutes left. Lin powered the surge with 10 points, including two 3-pointers, and Harden added six points in the decisive stretch. "I just tried to stay aggressive," Lin said. "I know I had a lot of mistakes early on, and I am thankful to God that I got in a rhythm. We really didnt feel good out there. It was an ugly game all around." After trading 3-pointers, Harden extended Houstons lead to eight on a jumper with 1:49 remaining. Tayshaun Prince hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to five, but Houston went 8 for 10 at the line to close it out. The Rockets were just 5 for 24 from beyond the arc against the Grizzlies. But they made three 3s in the fourth quarter and enjoyed a dominant night at the line, making 33 of 40 free throws, compared to 11 for 20 for the Grizzlies. Memphis reserve James Johnson had 12 points, and Kosta Koufos had five points and 11 boards to help the Grizzlies to a 49-41 rebounding advantage, including a 20-7 margin on the offensive glass that led to 21 second-chance points. "I dont think it got away anywhere," Memphis coach Dave Joerner said. "They made shots, we didnt score, we had 12 points going into the last minute (of the fourth quarter). I think going on the road, it can be difficult. Theyre a good team, and they made plays." NOTES: Houston C Greg Smith missed his third consecutive game with a sprained right knee. ... Prince started after missing the last three games with left knee soreness. He finished with nine points. ... The Rockets re-hired Gersson Rosas to co-lead their scouting and player personnel department with Gianluca Pascucci. Rosas was hired as Dallas general manager in the off-season, but he left the Mavericks a little more than three months after being hired. 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