The Climate Pledge is 300+ businesses committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. As a co-founder of this initiative, Amazon saw how Seattle’s brand-new arena could be more than a world-class sports and entertainment venue; it could be a living monument to the mission of The Climate Pledge and a constant reminder of the urgent need for climate action. But that was only the beginning. Amazon and Oak View Group would set a new aim: to make The Climate Pledge Arena the world’s first certified net-zero carbon arena, reducing the facility’s carbon footprint in every way possible. Amazon wanted to tell this story to inspire event goers and create a sense of optimism so guests leave feeling like real progress is being made to tackle the climate crisis.

Amazon started with the simple, powerful idea of making this the first sports and entertainment venue built and named not for a company, but for a cause. Amazon and Oak View Group are on track to make The Climate Pledge Arena the world’s first certified net-zero carbon arena, reducing the facility’s carbon footprint in every way possible. Innovations include being powered by 100% renewable electricity, all-electric kitchens, a ‘Rain To Rink’ roof converting rainfall into the greenest ice in the NHL, sourcing 75% of arena food from within 300 miles, donating all viable unused food from events to local community food programs, diverting over 95% of waste from landfills, eliminating 100% of single-use plastics by 2024, and reusing the historic roof saving 22,000 tons of exi­sting steel and concrete.

Climate change is perhaps the biggest crisis humanity has ever faced. While it’s a problem yet to be solved, real progress is being made by many corporations. In the Climate Pledge Arena every inch of this space would put The Climate Pledge mission into action, proving that when businesses change their ways, they can change the world.

The target audience for the arena is a broad audience of sports and music event-goers. These individuals want to be entertained and to actively connect with their teams, artists and fellow fans. This customer has not come to the Arena to learn about sustainability.

To tell the Climate Pledge story to fans, Amazon created two larger-than-life arena installations designed to inspire and create a sense of optimism so guests leave feeling like real progress is being made to tackle the climate crisis.

A living breathing representation of the Climate Pledge would be installed on the West Concourse to greet visitors. Amazon and its partners created a 1,700-square-foot vertical landscape made of 27 different plant species, while LED screens showcase the arena’s achievements in reducing its carbon footprint. Internal Amazon horticulturists would lean in to guide the “Living Wall” and supply key plants from their greenhouses that captures the beauty of what would be lost without the leadership embodied by The Climate Pledge.

On the East Concourse, a 200-by-18-foot canvas introduces the Climate Pledge’s mission, as well as the many ways its signatory companies are taking climate action.

The opening of an arena like no other would capture international media’s attention. Top stories were secured with ESPN, Forbes, WSJ, NYT and CBS Mornings, reaching 10.8 million people. Outlets that reported on the opening had an average of 5.11M unique visitors a day and a total of 5.31B unique visitors for the month, earning an estimated total of $49.16M in media coverage helping to spread the mission across the country.

The two signature walls would also become the social media spots of the arena, letting fans amplify awareness of The Climate Pledge worldwide. Through two impactful installations, Amazon would show millions how Seattle’s arena is a beacon of sustainability, and living proof that when businesses change their ways, they can change the world.