As Spring Hits, Baseball Teams Go Green

Are you looking for new ways to make your venue more environmentally friendly? Are you looking for new ways to leverage corporate partners looking to go green at the ballpark?

With Opening Day signaling the start of Spring, a majority of Major League Baseball teams rolled out new environmentally-friendly initiatives that tied in corporate partners. Enclosed below are some excellent ideas implemented by MLB teams that have recently been profiled in some news publications:

• The Atlanta Braves outfitted 2,000 parking attendants, ticket takers, and food vendors at Turner Field in shirts that were made of 50% recycled soda bottles (it takes five (5) plastic bottles to make one shirt). The initiative was suggested by team partner, Coca-Cola
• The Seattle Mariners teamed up with Cedar Grove Composting on Earth Day to shift nearly all food items (plates, bowls, utensils) to compostable materials in an effort to create zero waste during their game that day
• The Arizona Diamondbacks are following the lead of the Washington Nationals and Miami Heat by hireing a consulting firm to help facilitate a LEED certification for Chase Field in time for the 2011 MLB All-Star Game
• The San Francisco Giants partnered with Pacific Gas & Electric to create a green concession stand (featuring biodegradeable utensils, plates, and napkins; lights from compact fluorescent bulbs; energgy-efficient fryers that cook garlic fries). The team also partnered with Esurance to distribute reusable, fabric grocery bags to the first 20K fans on Earth Day and remind fans of ways they can "green" their lives
• Cincinnati Reds outfielder Chris Dickerson is sporting baseball bats with green labels throughout the season and wore a special green and gray glove on Earth Day
• The Boston Red Sox partnered with Poland Spring to create "The Green Team", a group of volunteers wearing company t-shirts and caps who patrol the stands at Fenway and collect plastic recyclables
• The New York Yankees are using energy-efficient bulbs to light the new Yankee Stadium
• The Pittsburgh Pirates partnered with Hess Corporation to use 100% renewable energy at PNC Park on Earth Day as part of the team's "Let's Go Bucs. Let's Go Green." campaign
• The Tampa Bay Rays are offering free parking for carpoolers at their home games this season
• The LA Angels of Anaheim gave free gifts (tickets, movie passes, coupons, etc.) to all fans who brought in a recyclable item on Earth Day
• The New York Mets (among others) are featuring waterless urinals at their new home, Citi Field
• The Houston Astros created a "Home Runs for Trees" program that plants a tree for every Astros home run and celebrated Earth Day with a one-day build of an energy-efficient Habitat for Humanity home
• The Washington Nationals offered an Earth Day ticket promotion where all fans who showed their metro farecard or SmarTrip card at the Nationals ticket office received $3 off any ticket priced at $10 or more

Consider new ways that your organization can go green!

Sources:

BusinessWeek - Green Grow the Ballparks (April 20, 2009 Issue)

MLB.com - Clubs Take Green Approach to Earth Day (John Schlegel)