Go Green or Go Home

Those who know Heather O’Reilly know her to be an insightful and thoughtful young lady. O’Reilly was thinking about the gallons of water and Gatorade consumed every day by the U.S. players (they are excellent hydrators) and decided that the piles of empty bottles where not helping the environment. After watching an episode of Oprah where the TV host encouraged viewers to “do the small things to make a positive impact on the environment,” she got an epiphany. After making an announcement of the team bus that the Women’s National Team was now “going green,” O’Reilly got a big garbage bag to put in the hall of the team floor of the hotel and encouraged all the players to put their empties in the bag to be recycled. What she didn’t know, but found out by talking to one of the housekeepers cleaning the rooms, is that the maids actually take all the empty bottles and recycle them anyway. But hey, it’s the thought and action that counts, right? Said O’Reilly: “Well, that’s fine as long as they are getting recycled.” O’Reilly’s partner in conservation was 19-year-old Tobin Heath, who summed it all up by stating, “Go Green or Go Home.” Add note: O’Reilly also asked the players to turn off the lights and TVs when they leave their hotel rooms. Note to Al Gore’s administrative staff: Let us know when you’d like to take a meeting with Heather to discuss other initiatives.