Conservation 101: the Compete to Conserve Blog

Earlier this year Alex Rodriguez signed a $275 Million, ten-year contract with the New York Yankees, cutting short his $252 Million ten-year contract with the Texas Rangers signed in 2001.  On the other side of the country, the Los Angeles Dodgers recently acquired Manny Ramirez in the final year of his $160 Million contract signed with the Boston Red Sox in 2001.

Major League Baseball may not be synonymous with environmental sustainability, but the 2008 season has treated fans to a shade of green separate and apart from the playing field.

Last April, the Seattle Mariners and Baltimore Orioles played the first carbon-neutral baseball game in MLB history.  To celebrate Earth Day, the teams partnered with Cedar Grove Composting to offset the game’s energy consumption by funding certain energy-conservation projects.  An estimated 230 tons of carbon dioxide produced by flight travel, electricity and natural gas during the game, disposal or recycling of waste, hotel-related emissions, and team staff and fan transportation was offset by an investment in new methane and wind projects.

To start the 2008 season, the Philadelphia Phillies announced the team would offset the carbon footprint created by the utility power usage at the team’s stadium by purchasing 20 million kilowatt-hours of Green-e Energy Certified Renewable Energy Certificates.  This contribution is the functional equivalent of planting 100,000 trees.

Also this season, MLB partnered with the National Resources Defense Council to provide teams with eco-friendly advice in all areas of operations.  “Using corn starch cups, increasing recycling and installing solar panels and possibly wind turbines at ballparks are among the measures teams will consider as part of a major league-wide effort to reduce baseball’s carbon footprint.”  (USAtoday.com, March 12, 2008.)  Named the “Team Greening Program”, each team received software to provide assistance in energy and water conservation, the purchase of eco-friendly products, how to improve sales from concession areas, recyling and transporatation.

Now, the Los Angeles Angels and Compete to Conserve are working together to promote global sustainability, starting with the fans.  In an effort to promote conservation on an individual and accessible level, Compete to Conserve hopes to increase recycling at Anaheim Stadium while inspiring fans to make positive and practical changes in the way they consume natural resources.

As the season enters its final month, it appears that the Angels are familiar with the principles of long-term energy conservation.  Holding firm to a first place lead of 17 games and only 23 left for the season, the Angels are well positioned to sustain their division lead heading into the playoffs.

For more information please visit:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/359994_greenball22.html

http://greentechnolog.com/2008/05/philadelphia_phillies_go_green.html

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2008-03-10-MLB-goes-green_N.htm

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=52577

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