Every Autumn the Boys of Summer conclude the baseball season with the World Series. This season the Houston Astros will meet the Philadelphia Phillies to see who will bring home the coveted Commissioner's Trophy. But no matter which team you are rooting for, everyone can get behind the sustainable home stadiums for each of these teams.
The 2021 World Series competitor and 2022 American League champion Houston Astros’ Minute Maid Park is a retractable-roofed, natural grass playing field ballpark. The ballpark incorporates portions of Houston’s former historic Union Station which used to occupy the location. Minute Maid Park composts its infield and outfield grass cuttings to use as fertilizer and uses only eco-friendly safe chemicals on the field, recycles all light bulbs used in the ballpark, employs automatic paper towel dispensers, uses paper products made from post-consumer recycled paper, recycles grease to be used as biofuel, has 125 recycle bins placed throughout the ballpark for fans to recycle plastic, aluminum, and cardboard, and uses eco-friendly plastic bags at all ballpark merchandise locations.
The 2022 National League champion Philadelphia Phillies have called Citizens Bank Park home since 2004. The Phillies are the first Major League Baseball team to join the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Green Power Partnership Program which motivates organizations across the world to purchase green power in order to minimize environmental impact. The Phillies, among the top three purchasers of green power in Philadelphia, announced on April 30, 2008 that Citizens Bank Park, will be powered with 20 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green energy purchased in Green-e Energy Certified Renewable Certificates (RECs). According to the EPA, this purchase holds the record in professional sports for the largest purchase of 100% renewable energy. In addition, glass, cardboard and plastics used during game day are recycled; frying oil is being recycled to produce biodiesel fuel, and biodegradable, recyclable, and compostable products, serviceware, and plastics are now in use.
These green efforts are as American as the game of baseball itself. And we, too, can follow the lead of these teams in our very own homes. By recycling, using eco-friendly plastic, and changing out lighting in favor of LEDs, we all can have homes as green as these sports teams.
No matter which team wins the series this season, both teams are Clean Energy Champions.
Play ball!
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