Taking Green Baseball by Storm
by Kristin Underwood, San Diego, CA on 09. 2.07
Ahhh, summertime– longer days, the beach, the vacations and yes, baseball season! And the Lake Elsinore Storm is taking “greening baseball” by storm. On July 20, 2007 the team decided to add a “Going Green” night to its list of promotional events, which have included such wacky things as Tom Cruise bobble head couch night, Dr Seuss Night and even a sleepover! Lake Elsinorans were all for the green event, as over 4,000 people attended the event.
Aware of droughts, wildfires and polluted skies, which are problems with global warming and particularly prevalent in the Southern California area, the Storm decided to take action and do something to help the community. The evening included a green vendor fair, healthy food and hemp uniforms worn by the team. The mascot offered video tips on how kids in the crowd can get involved, and tips for adults and kids alike were offered throughout the night. At the end of the night there was a green fireworks display.
But, that’s not all. Oh no, the Storm was already hard at work on several other initiatives before bringing the community in on the action. To address water issues, the stadium installed water efficient heads on all of their sprinklers, waterless urinals throughout the ballpark and a computer system to disperse the exact amount of irrigation based on evaporation rates. With these estimates, the Storm should save at least a million gallons of water a year – not a small thing in an area that seemingly never rains (we’re not in the east coast anymore, Toto).
The Storm is dreaming big with this green thing, including adding solar panels on the stadium and hopefully becoming the first LEED Certified sports facility in the country. This is in contrast to a Toronto Stadium that chose nuclear as its power source. At least a dozen teams have already been in contact to learn more and the Storm is hoping to include a Green Night ever season. Several major league teamsmajor league teams have also taken the initiative to add a little green to their season.
The event was a huge success and the best part was educating the community. Dave Oster, President of the Lake Elsinore Storm said, “For many people environmental issues look bleak and impossible to deal with on such a large scale. But if large groups of influence can continue to promote that each person makes a small contribution that together many can make a significant change. It takes 51% to create a shift of awareness and The Storm hopes that in our small way we can do our part to create a positive difference in our community and in the world we live.”
For more information on the storm, or to catch a game, check them out online or call 951-245-HITS.
