Recycling in the United States has made enormous strides over the last 40 years, but there is still plenty of room for improvement. I learned at a recent Residential Recycling Conference in Chicago that although approximately 75 percent of our waste is recyclable, we currently only recycle about 30 percent. The other 45 percent goes into landfills.

Reducing the amount of trash we discard, reusing products, and recycling as much as possible helps conserve energy and reduces pollution and greenhouse gases. As our Make an Impact website explains, waste is created throughout the life cycle of a product -- resource extraction, manufacturing, and disposal. For example, it takes seven times more energy to manufacture aluminum using virgin material than recycled material. Also, while many landfills capture the methane they release, not all do. Solid waste landfills are the third largest source of U.S. emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

An estimated 111 million people across the United States watched at least part of last year's Super Bowl between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. It was the most-watched event in U.S. TV history.

For those of us seeking to engage the public in the work of building a clean-energy future, sporting events offer a unique opportunity to reach the public. This year, for example, C2ES has teamed up with Entergy Corporation and the New Orleans Super Bowl XLVII Host Committee to launch a fun, environment-themed website and contest for NFL fans.