On the field, the Philadelphia Eagles are focused on crushing their opponents. When they're not doing that, they're focused on saving the Earth. Ads posted around their stadium read, "Trash the Cowboys, Redskins, and Giants, but recycle the cups." Recycling bins shaped like bottles are carefully placed for maximum returns. The beer cups are biodegradable, the team's employees buy wind power, and the field is tended with a vehicle that runs on biodiesel. This immense shift didn't happen overnight. Here's what the Eagles learned on their way to going green:

Get a game plan The Eagles' Go Green campaign started in 2003 as a simple recycling program. But team didn't just throw some recycle bins around the stadium. Leonard Bonacci, director of events services for the Eagles, and his crew did guest services training at the Disney Institute to learn about the psychology of trash. "They explained that Disney placed their trash cans in a particular way," Bonacci says. "They measured out how far a guest would carry it before tossing it. It ended up being 40 to 45 feet." The Eagles began placing trash bins the same way-and locating recycling bins shaped like giant plastic bottles right next to them.

Ask for what you want Behind the scenes, the team searched for the most eco-friendly containers. Beverages are a top-seller at the stadium so Bonacci put pressure on the stadium's vendors asking for a more environmentally-friendly cup. "They ended up producing a cup made of corn," Bonacci says. "If I handed it to you, you'd say it's made of plastic. You throw it in any trash container and in 45 days it will break down-it just breaks back down."

Strategic assists are necessary The Eagles have had a longstanding relationship with the local utility company PECO. Eagles co-owner Christina Lurie had looked into wind power for her own home at one point, but it wasn't readily available then. When PECO began offering wind power, it made sense to give the team's employees and players a chance to buy it. This year, the Eagles began reimbursing employees and players living in the area for the cost difference between buying PECO's wind power and standard electrical power. At least 100 employees have signed up so far. "This was our first deal of this kind," says PECO spokesperson Cathy Engel. "The Eagles are certainly very forward-thinking." Engel reports that the Eagles started a trend: other companies want to offer similar wind power programs to their employees.

Go long The organization is making long term plans to get even greener. Bonacci talks about ways to have fans recycle in a more entertaining way, possibly by having them weigh out cans and run totals in tons. Lurie is thinking about a graywater system that harnesses rainwater to irrigate the field. She's also contemplating an Eagles forest. "You're not planting seeds," she says. "You're planting trees that can make a difference."

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