MLB takes on sustainability efforts during spring training

Major League Baseball (MLB), New York City, and Arizona State University's (ASU’s) School of Sustainability, Tempe, Arizona, have announced they will undertake sustainability efforts during 2018 spring training, presented by Camping World, Lincolnshire, Illinois. The efforts will take place during parts of the Cactus League schedule.

Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, the spring training home of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies in Scottsdale, Arizona, will be the focus site of the Recycle Rally initiative that will test and implement zero waste strategies with the overarching goals of reducing landfill impact, increasing operational efficiencies and improving the fan experience across all Cactus League ballparks. This new partnership will launch Feb. 21 when the Arizona Diamondbacks host Arizona State University for a spring training exhibition game. Salt River Fields is expected to host nearly 300,000 fans over the course of the 2018 spring training.

As part of the initiative, a group of eleven ASU undergraduate and graduate students will analyze the waste stream and operations at Salt River Fields to help the venue become more environmentally friendly. ASU will then determine how the Diamondbacks and Rockies can minimize and most effectively manage waste, including adopting effective waste diversion practices at the ballpark through recycling, reusing and composting. Additionally, the partnership will engage fans during spring training games at Salt River Fields through a series of interactive activities that educate about the challenges and impacts of waste.

"The Arizona Diamondbacks are proud to call Salt River Fields home and are excited to partner with Arizona State University and Major League Baseball on this initiative," Derrick Hall, Diamondbacks president and CEO, says. "We want do our part to ensure that future generations of D-backs fans can appreciate the beautiful Arizona landscape and will continue to focus on improving sustainability efforts throughout spring training and all season long at Chase Field."

While Salt River Fields will be the initial focus of the initiative, MLB and ASU will work with individual clubs to incorporate a snapshot-level analysis for all Cactus League ballparks in 2018. The groups will visit each of the 10 Cactus League ballparks at least once during spring training for analysis, documentation of current waste systems and recommending opportunities for improvement.

"The Rockies continue to put a strong emphasis on sustainability at Coors Field, so we are very proud that this partnership with ASU and MLB will educate us and further minimize the environmental impact of the entire Salt River Fields complex, making an already LEED Gold certified facility even better,” Greg Feasel, Rockies executive vice president and chief operating officer, says.

To further environmental efforts in Arizona this spring training, MLB will also work with Change The Course, a national freshwater restoration campaign, to offset 100 percent of water usage in the Cactus League this year by rehabilitating endangered watersheds and help to restore five million gallons of freshwater in critically depleted rivers and streams across Arizona. Presently, the entire state of Arizona is experiencing moderate drought conditions with about half the state being in the severe drought category, while parts of southeastern and east-central Arizona are in the extreme drought category.