Clean Fairfax Council

It is no secret that a lot of waste is generated at sports arenas, playing fields, stadiums and events. The playing fields in Fairfax County alone generate thousands of plastic drink bottles every tournament or walk-a-thon weekend.

And, just think of all the plastic water, beer and soda bottles (and cups) that a medium sized baseball stadium must go through each home game. Then think about all the food waste, the paper programs and scoring pads, all the cardboard boxes that vendors empty, and then think about all the sports drink bottles in the dugout and clubhouse. The numbers are staggering, and there’s a cost to all that waste. Aside from the obvious environmental costs, there’s an actual cost to the owner/manager of the stadium to throw away all that stuff.

But, sports teams are getting on the green bandwagon. From new LEED certified Green Stadiums right here in our own backyard, to energy efficient power, to partnering with a compost company to collect food waste.

From our friends at the EPA, here’s a partial list of teams (and associated articles) that are doing their part to make America’s Pastime a whole lot greener.

• MLB has emerged as as a powerful leader in the global green movement. See how several teams are going green.
• The Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field,  the second ballpark in the US to compost food waste, saved more than $26,000 in disposal costs in 2006. In 2007, they added food and yard waste, as well as glass from the luxury suites and metal food containers. In celebration of Earth Day, the Seattle Mariners joined with Cedar Grove Composting to stage the first carbon-neutral game in Major League Baseball history. The Mariners and the  San Francisco Giants compete to determine who recycles more!
• The Phillies have begun recycling cardboard, paper, beverage containers, fluorescent lamps, lighting ballasts, frying oils and other items, conserving energy and have joined EPA’s Green Power Partnership
• The Oakland Athletics (PDF) save approximately $40,000 a year in disposal costs due to their recycling and composting program.
• EPA and New York Mets Agree on Environmental Goals for Citi Field. The builder of New York Mets’ new ballpark, the Queens Ballpark Company, and EPA signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which spells out design, construction and operational principles ensuring that Citi Field meets high environmental standards and reduces its carbon footprint.
• Baseball Stadium Hits Home Run for Recycling and Composting. The San Francisco Giants saved more than $100,000 on its garbage disposal in 2004 by implementing a recycling and composting program at AT&T Stadium, formerly SBC Park.
• Pirates unveil green initiative. The Pittsburgh Pirates plan to recycle around 760,000 beverage containers by encouraging fans to use 180 new recycling bins and by conducting a bowl pick. Other green initiatives include two-sided printing, energy-efficient lighting, and buying reusable mugs and recycled paper.
• “Our Tribe is green, are you in the Tribe?”The Cleveland Indians are installing recycling bins for beverages throughout Progressive Field and will continue to recycle all paper and cardboard products and use recycled paper. The Indians environmental leadership was demonstrated earlier by the installation of 42 GE solar panels in the upper deck of the stadium.
• Astros going earth friendly in 2008. The Houston Astros are launching an “Astros Play Green” campaign involving recycling bins throughout the stadium, use of recycled paper, and many other initiatives.
• Red Sox Green Team. The Boston Red Sox go green with recycling and plans for solar power at Fenway Park.

Now, what can we do to recycle at our own local parks? For starters, if you attend a game, or a tournament or an event at one of our many beautiful Fairfax County parks, make sure you take your recycling with you, and put it in a bin at home. And if you’re an organizer of such an event, contact Clean Fairfax about ways you can collect bottles and cans for recycling, rather than letting them get dumped in the trash.

Your kids, and their kids, will thank you for the cleaner playing field you leave behind.

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