Nascar. What are the first thoughts that come to mind when you think of the sport? Do gas guzzling speed racers zooming around the track while burning an absurd amount of rubber come to mind? Nascar wants you to think again.

According to an article in the New York Times, Nascar is increasingly focusing on “cutting costs by recycling, conserving and generating its own energy.” Nascar’s teams, employees, track operators are all on board with a series of green initiatives that include collecting used fuel from the races, planting trees after each race in an effort to offset carbon emissions, and using sheep instead of lawn mowers to help keep the grass around the track short. Other projects have included installing 40,000 solar panels ove 25 acres at the Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, PA and the Roush Fenway team that recycles 96% of each car it produces, purchased bikes for all of the workers in it’s North Carolina facility, and banned use of Styrofoam on the premise.

Going green is big in the corporate world right now, even for a sport that revolves entirely around burning mad amounts of gas. The first step to action is recognizing what needs to be changed. Nascar has recognized the sheer amount of waste the sport produces and is taking the necessary steps to help reduce it. According to Michael Lynch, Nascar’s director of green innovation “The incongruity is part of what makes going green in this sport so impactful. There’s a bias that the sport is not green and therefore fans aren’t green.”

The best part about Nascar going green? The message will come through to the millions of fans sitting in the stands or watching on TV. The more people who hear the green message, the better. While Nascar acknowledges that it still has a long way to go, it’s great that they are getting the green wheels rolling.

Check out the whole New York Times article here.