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Major League Baseball 2013: bobbleheads and fireworks galore for fans

7. Think green

MATT SLOCUM/AP
Baseballs are shown as the Philadelphia Phillies workout at baseball spring training, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013, in Clearwater, Fla.

  • By Ross Atkin Staff writer

Baseball increasingly is looking to raise its environmental profile, and teams are finding ways to send a green message with their giveaways and promotions.

The Arizona Diamondbacks may be Exhibit A with their June weekend APS Green Series of game. In partnership with Arizona Public Service, the state’s largest electric utility, the D-backs will bring in energy-efficiency experts and vendors at Chase Field to educate fans about ways to reduce their energy consumption and to recycle more. Throughout the weekend, 100 percent of the energy used to light the field, power the scoreboard, and broadcast the game will come from renewable energy. And on Saturday, APS will give away 10,000 compact florescent light bulbs.  (Minnesota’s green event will feature a LED energy-efficient light bulb giveway.)

Among the other “green” giveaways are redwood tree seedlings (Oakland A’s), flower seed packets (Yankees), reusable grocery bags (several teams), and a flower pot (Tampa Bay).

Encouraging public transportation or riding a bike to the ballpark is on the environmental lists of some teams.  The Tigers, for example, hold a Bike to the Ballpark game in which those who arrange to pedal to the game are entitled to special valet bike parking.

BART, the Bay Area Rapid Transit system, has a promotion for $2 tickets available at selected Oakland A’s games, presumably meant to encourage using BART.  At the same time, the team’s Free Parking Tuesdays seem at cross purposes with promoting public transportation.

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Mark Sappenfield
Editor

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