River Cats Introduce Green Initiatives For 2015
Released by the Sacramento River Cats:
- River Cats Introduce Green Initiatives For 2015 -
- Announce Partnerships with Green Sports Alliance and Green Acres Nursery and Supply -
The Sacramento River Cats are proud to partner with the Green Sports Alliance and several local businesses in an effort to develop additional environmentally responsible programs and initiatives. The Green Sports Alliance joins Republic Services, Commerce Printing Services, and Green Acres Nursery and Supply in partnering with the River Cats and Raley Field to create programs that push the envelope in regards to waste diversion, sustainability, and community health.
Amid a busy offseason, the River Cats are now affiliated with the World Series Champion San Francisco Giants. The Giants have been honored with the MLB Green Glove Award in each of the seven years it’s been awarded since 2008. “As an affiliate of the Giants, who are among the sports sustainability elite, we felt it was important to lead the path of sustainability in the Sacramento Region and Minor League Baseball as a whole,” said River Cats President Jeff Savage. “Our goal is to educate other small businesses and individuals within the community on changes they can make to become more sustainable.”
New to Raley Field this season, the River Cats have teamed up with Green Acres Nursery & Supply to create the Raley Field Gardens. Located down the right field line, the Raley Field Gardens allow Green Acres Nursery & Supply and the River Cats to provide produce for local food banks and to educate area communities about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. The produce from the Raley Field Gardens will also be used in stadium concessions to promote local consumption and reduce Raley Field’s overall carbon footprint.
Republic Services is entering its 6th season as Raley Field’s waste hauling and recycling partner and has taken the ballpark’s diversion efforts to a whole new level. This season’s enhanced recycling and food waste programs will greatly contribute to the River Cats reaching their sustainability goals, and programs designed to divert waste from landfills will be turned into fertilizer and low-emission fuel for the Republic Services fleet. As part of the program, the River Cats and Republic Services have installed GreenDrop diversion bins in the Western Health Advantage Legacy Club, Tito’s Solon Club, and all 36 suites on the Lasher’s Elk Grove Acura Suite Level.
Along with the gardens and diversion programs, Raley Field will undergo its first significant lighting and energy retrofit during the River Cat’s 16th season in West Sacramento. The facility’s external retrofit will replace or convert existing fixtures to energy efficient LED lighting. Utilizing rebates and financing through PG&E, the project has an estimated payback time of 3-5 years.
A long-time partner of the River Cats, Commerce Printing Services is working hard to decrease the carbon footprint on all printing needs at Raley Field. Commerce Printing uses 100% vegetable-based inks and recycled paper to print the game programs. They also deliver all printing to Raley Field using their fleet of plug-in hybrid and biofuel vehicles and utilize 100% renewable energy to power their facility.
The Green Sports Alliance is an internationally recognized nonprofit organization that works with sports teams, venues, leagues and events to positively influence their communities and promote the development of environmentally preferable practices. The GSA has nearly 300 members from across the sports industry, and will be partnering with the River Cats and Raley Field to garner new ideas for a greener organization, facility and community.
“Minor League Baseball teams and venues are recognizable and beloved leaders in their communities,” said Green Sports Alliance Membership Director David Muller. “The commitment the River Cats have made to enhancing the environmental performance of Raley Field and developing programs and communications to promote sustainability awareness will have a significant impact on the community. We are honored to be working with the River Cats on their continued greening efforts, and look forward to the insights and leadership they will contribute to the broader GSA member network.”
The River Cats are committed to the continued growth of their sustainability planning and reporting. For additional information on the environmental initiatives and programs at Raley Field, please visit rivercats.com/sustainability.