1. Focus on energy efficiency
You save money when you use the right bulbs and only turn them on when necessary. Most events don't have a media room full of dozens of televisions and computer monitors, and most venues don't, like the U.S. Open, consume 2,000 megawatt hours of electricity (the capacity of the Indian Point nuclear power plant a few miles north of New York City, incidentally) ... but all venues can benefit from energy conservation.

2. Stop using pesticides
The U.S. Open doesn't have natural grass courts, so this isn't an issue, but millions of acres of sports fields and school playgrounds are treated with pesticides every year. A great first step toward greening your sports event is to stop spraying potentially harmful chemicals, Powers said.

3. Boost recycling rates
The U.S. Tennis Association learned that for every garbage can, you must have one recycling bin, or else your audience is unlikely to recycle. They also learned that it can be quite complicated to deliver the sorted recyclables to the right location to ensure they are indeed recycled.

Be sure to check far ahead of time with your janitorial staff, local waste hauler or city sanitation agency to make sure that the careful work you're doing to separate waste doesn't ... well, go to waste. If your local waste handler isn't ready, get them ready before the event.

4. Provide public transportation
Whenever possible, encourage the use of public transportation and do whatever is possible to make it easy for those using public transportation to enjoy the event without extra hassles.

In the case of the U.S. Open, the transportation challenge is compounded by the nature of the event, with hundreds of tennis players arriving from all over the world (kind of like dozens of kids arriving with their parents in their own cars). What did the organizers do? Contracted with Lexus to provide half of the car transportation via hybrid SUVs ... a start.

At a local venue, it might mean making space for a local bus to make a stop, or arranging for that bus to leave the parking lot before the mass exodus of cars clogs the road home.

5. Encourage audience participation
Sports fans are as competitive as those on the field. A little messaging goes a long way when it comes to encouraging people to do the right thing. At the offices of the U.S. Tennis Association, for instance, the drive to go green has become a competition for individuals to one-up their colleagues in the next cubicle. Whatever goal you have set, be sure to communicate it to the crowd, and enlist their help.

6. Focus on concessions
If you're selling anything -- whether it's food or memorabilia -- do your part to source it responsibly. Look for paper products that are made with recycled content or that are Forest Stewardship Council-certified. Try to serve sustainable food. Offer a discount to those who bring their own cup. Pay attention to the packaging you're providing. If you're selling T-shirts or other memorabilia, talk to the people in charge of sourcing it, so that you can provide keepsakes made from organic and other sustainable fibers.

And, or course ... enjoy the game.