Safeco Field getting greener as more garbage composted
In the first three ballgames at Safeco Field this year, 70 percent of the service ware — cups, plates, even eating utensils — used by Mariners fans and employees was recycled or composted.
By Susan Gilmore
Seattle Times staff reporter
PREV of NEXT
MARK HARRISON / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Pam Moore drops finished bottles into the recycling bin at Safeco Field, where the Mariners are ahead of the game on meeting Seattle's new recycling/composting law.
In the first three ballgames at Safeco Field this year, 70 percent of the service ware — cups, plates, even eating utensils — used by Mariners fans and employees was recycled or composted.
That's a huge increase from last year, when 38 percent didn't go to a landfill.
Seattle Mariners spokeswoman Rebecca Hale said the emphasis on keeping food-serving-and-eating items out of the trash will save the team about $100,000 a year in landfill fees; last year, the team saved $60,000.
Beginning July 1, Seattle will become the first city in the nation where all single-use service ware must be either compostable or recyclable. That means Seattle will stop sending 6,000 tons of plastic and plastic-coated paper products to a landfill, or 225 shipping containers of waste.
While the law doesn't go into effect until July 1, the Mariners decided to start now with the beginning of its season.
There are just 17 garbage cans at Safeco Field, said Scott Jenkins, vice president of ballpark operations. All the others have been replaced with 300 compost containers and 200 recycling bins.
The Mariners have contracted with Cedar Grove Composting to handle the waste. Plastic bottles make up the largest single number of recyclable items at Safeco, Hale said. Beer "glasses" and the cardboard packaging for bobbleheads are plentiful, too.
At Safeco, crews sift through the garbage to pull out plastic bottles. Almost everything else is compostable. Even the plastic beer glasses and eating utensils can be composted. Jenkins said virtually all that's left as garbage are potato-chip bags, wrappers for licorice ropes and tiny condiment containers.
The key to success, said Jenkins, is educating the fans, who want to throw away their beer glasses and plates.
"We're early in the learning curve, but are doing really well," he said.
He envisions a 70 percent compost and recycling rate this year, and it could even get as high as 85 percent.
Dick Lilly, with Seattle Public Utilities, said the July 1 change is part of a package of laws passed by the Seattle City Council, that included a ban on Styrofoam packaging and the failed effort to put a fee on plastic and paper bags.
He said the packaging industry has stepped up to the challenge; there were 70 food-service products that could be recycled or composted two years ago and now there are 600 approved by Cedar Grove.
"As this thing rolls out, restaurants need to do a lot of customer education," said Lilly.
He admitted that this could mean higher costs to the restaurant, but he doesn't think they will be noticed by customers.
Josh McDonald, a state and local government affairs spokesman with the Washington Restaurant Association, said his group is concerned about the costs. "Some (pieces) will be close to even, and some will be 100 times more per piece. When you add it up, that means increased costs."
He acknowledged that Seattle will be one of the few places in the country with such a broad edict. "Because we're the only place in the country to have these requirements, the packaging is still thought boutique and with it will carry a boutique price tag."
McDonald said restaurants operate on a 4.5 percent profit margin and 11,000 jobs were lost in the last quarter because of the economy, so there is a concern about the extra costs that will be generated by the new packaging rules. He didn't know whether the costs would be passed on to the customers or simply absorbed.
Lilly said the average restaurant can save $200 to $400 a month just by composting kitchen food waste.
He said the new ordinance can bring a $250-a-day fine, but the city doesn't plan to impose it, particularly at the beginning when education is needed.
"As long as we know a restaurant chain is making an effort and talking to us, we're usually OK with that," he said.
Hale, with the Mariners, said it will take a little more manpower at the stadium to sort through the recyclable containers, but she believes it's worth the effort if it saves money. She said the hard part will be teaching fans from out of town. Half of the fans come from outside King County.
"For them, it's new and mysterious and they may default to the garbage, even if we put a recycling bin next to it," Hale said.
In 2005, recycling at Safeco was at 12 percent of the waste. In 2006, it rose to 18 percent, then 25 percent in 2007, 31 percent in 2008 and 38 percent in 2009.
Susan Gilmore: 206-464-2054 or sgilmore@seattletimes.com
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Southern Cal growing solar
Southern California Edison is expected to install roof-top solar collectors on numerous (100-125 warehouses) roof tops to develop almost 1.5 sqaure miles of roof-tops. The energy from thsi installation is expected to produce enough electircal energy to power 162,000 homes.
Portland LEED
From the April 15, 2010 IAAM newsletter.
In conjunction with NBA Green Week, a league-wide sustainability awareness initiative from April 1-9, the Portland Trail Blazers commemorated the Rose Garden’s LEED Gold certification with a LEED plaque unveiling ceremony on April 9 at the Rose Garden’s North entrance.
NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver joined Trail Blazers President Larry Miller, Senior Scientist Allen Hershkowitz of the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and a representative of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to officially recognize the Trail Blazers becoming the first major pro sports team to earn a coveted LEED Gold rating from the USGBC.
“We are proud of this achievement, not only for the progress it represents for our organization, but because it reinforces Portland’s leadership as America’s greenest city,” Miller said. “We see this as an ongoing commitment to sustainability throughout our operations, not just a one-time event. By doing that, we hope to encourage visitors to the Rose Quarter to think and act more responsibly to reduce their own impact on the environment.”
Throughout Green Week, adidas outfitted all 30 NBA teams with 50 percent organic polyester shooting shirts featuring the NBA Green logo. Players also wore NBA Green headbands, wristbands and socks made from 45 percent organic cotton to further promote greater environmental awareness.
“Green Week showcases the NBA’s ability to inspire positive action and is another example of why the league has an outstanding reputation as one of the world’s most responsible sports organizations,” Hershkowitz said. “A healthy environment benefits everyone, and the NBA's continued incorporation of that understanding into its operations proves it takes its commitment to environmental protection seriously.”
In conjunction with NBA Green Week, a league-wide sustainability awareness initiative from April 1-9, the Portland Trail Blazers commemorated the Rose Garden’s LEED Gold certification with a LEED plaque unveiling ceremony on April 9 at the Rose Garden’s North entrance.
NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver joined Trail Blazers President Larry Miller, Senior Scientist Allen Hershkowitz of the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and a representative of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to officially recognize the Trail Blazers becoming the first major pro sports team to earn a coveted LEED Gold rating from the USGBC.
“We are proud of this achievement, not only for the progress it represents for our organization, but because it reinforces Portland’s leadership as America’s greenest city,” Miller said. “We see this as an ongoing commitment to sustainability throughout our operations, not just a one-time event. By doing that, we hope to encourage visitors to the Rose Quarter to think and act more responsibly to reduce their own impact on the environment.”
Throughout Green Week, adidas outfitted all 30 NBA teams with 50 percent organic polyester shooting shirts featuring the NBA Green logo. Players also wore NBA Green headbands, wristbands and socks made from 45 percent organic cotton to further promote greater environmental awareness.
“Green Week showcases the NBA’s ability to inspire positive action and is another example of why the league has an outstanding reputation as one of the world’s most responsible sports organizations,” Hershkowitz said. “A healthy environment benefits everyone, and the NBA's continued incorporation of that understanding into its operations proves it takes its commitment to environmental protection seriously.”
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Green v. Dollars
When the battle is between green and green (cash), green is king. That is that green efforts have gone by the wayside for many when economic realities come to play. A recent Gallop poll released on Tuesday of 1,014 Americans produced record low responses associated with the environment. Approximately 53% of respondents indicated that economic growth takes precedence to environmental issues. Only 50% worry a "great deal" about drinking water pollution, 33% are concerned about the loss of rain forests, and 31% are concerned about the extinction of plants/animals. Other findings include:
46% today are concerned about waterway pollution, down from 72% in 1989.
44% today are concerned about toxic waste contamination of the air/water, down from 69% in 1989.
38% today are concerned about air pollution, down from 63% in 1989.
28% today are concerned about global warming, down from 41% in 2007.
Gil-
46% today are concerned about waterway pollution, down from 72% in 1989.
44% today are concerned about toxic waste contamination of the air/water, down from 69% in 1989.
38% today are concerned about air pollution, down from 63% in 1989.
28% today are concerned about global warming, down from 41% in 2007.
Gil-
Green Health Clubs
The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) just released its first ever Green/Sustainability Survey. Over 130 clubs participated in the study. Results include:
70.7% indicated senior management had a positive perspective on implementing green practices.
33.1% indicated that going green was a high priority.
65% believed implementing green practices would differentiate them from their competitors.
35% indicated that senior management believes green strategies will increase membership growth.
48.9% responded that senior management believes that green practices would increase profits.
For more information visit www.ihrsa.org/research.
Gil-
70.7% indicated senior management had a positive perspective on implementing green practices.
33.1% indicated that going green was a high priority.
65% believed implementing green practices would differentiate them from their competitors.
35% indicated that senior management believes green strategies will increase membership growth.
48.9% responded that senior management believes that green practices would increase profits.
For more information visit www.ihrsa.org/research.
Gil-
Many Green Firsts
There is always marketing gold in claiming you are the first or only of a given kind. This impacts LEED certification as well. In the rush to become the first, there are many permutations being explored by marketing wizards. Athletic Business in their March, 2010 magazine list some of the green firsts:
The first athletic facility to receive LEED Platinum is the University of Florida's Heavener Football Complex.
The first recreational center that received LEED Platinum is the Carbondale (CO) Recreation and Community Center
The first college recreation center to receive LEED Gold is the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs recreation Center
The first sports arena in North America to obtain LEED Gold is the ShoWare center in Washington.
The first football stadium to receive LEED certification (Silver) is the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium
The first MLB stadium to receive LEED certification (Silver) is Nationals Park in DC.
The first baseball stadium of any type receiving LEED certification is at Penn State University.
The first athletic complex to receive LEED certification (Silver) is at the University of Connecticut.
The first LEED certified ice rink is at Bowdoin College.
In 2010 two new sport facilities might join the list including the first Platinum recreation building at the University of Arizona and the first LEED Gold arena for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Gil-
The first athletic facility to receive LEED Platinum is the University of Florida's Heavener Football Complex.
The first recreational center that received LEED Platinum is the Carbondale (CO) Recreation and Community Center
The first college recreation center to receive LEED Gold is the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs recreation Center
The first sports arena in North America to obtain LEED Gold is the ShoWare center in Washington.
The first football stadium to receive LEED certification (Silver) is the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium
The first MLB stadium to receive LEED certification (Silver) is Nationals Park in DC.
The first baseball stadium of any type receiving LEED certification is at Penn State University.
The first athletic complex to receive LEED certification (Silver) is at the University of Connecticut.
The first LEED certified ice rink is at Bowdoin College.
In 2010 two new sport facilities might join the list including the first Platinum recreation building at the University of Arizona and the first LEED Gold arena for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Gil-
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Various Green iniatives
The Latest Pan Stadia magazine had a good green facility article new LEED facilities including Target Field which uses solar reflective material on the roof canopy, was built adjacent to public transportation options, and uses low flow water fictures designed to save 4.2 million gallons a year.
The first real LEED sport facility in the US was the Penn State Medlar Field, a $30 million facility that included water efficient landscaping, uses wind powered turbine, and used almost 76% construction waste recycling rate. Another one was the $34 million Detroit Lions trainign center and office which used bamboo flooring and the team took efforts to preserve surrounding wetlands.
The new Target Center has installed a new 2.5 acre green roof which uses pre-grown mats with various native plants. Teh roof used over 11 miles of sustainable, water-efficient irrigation lines and a leak detector that can pinpoint any potential leaks. The builder used 95% of the old roof as building amterial. The system can grab almost an inch of rainfall without any runoff, which can help reduce one million gallons of rain drainign into the Mississippi each year.Green roofs are also being built with several Olympic facilities in England.
Talking about roofs, Melbourne's Rectangular Stadium has a unique bio-frame roof that uses 50% less steel than a regular cantilever roof. You can watch the construction at: http://www.mopt.com.au/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-178/.
Lastly, Croke Park in Dublin revealed that the 82,000 capacity stadium generated more than 4,500 tons of C02 annually. Fans have been able to offer carbon offset pledges to benefit the afcility. If a fan uses public transportation or uses less electricty cooking the Gaelic Athletic Association is able to aggregate these energy reduction pledges into CO2 ofsets. Whiel the program was meant to run for six years, the facility became carbon neutral after just one year form the fan offsets.
Gil-
The first real LEED sport facility in the US was the Penn State Medlar Field, a $30 million facility that included water efficient landscaping, uses wind powered turbine, and used almost 76% construction waste recycling rate. Another one was the $34 million Detroit Lions trainign center and office which used bamboo flooring and the team took efforts to preserve surrounding wetlands.
The new Target Center has installed a new 2.5 acre green roof which uses pre-grown mats with various native plants. Teh roof used over 11 miles of sustainable, water-efficient irrigation lines and a leak detector that can pinpoint any potential leaks. The builder used 95% of the old roof as building amterial. The system can grab almost an inch of rainfall without any runoff, which can help reduce one million gallons of rain drainign into the Mississippi each year.Green roofs are also being built with several Olympic facilities in England.
Talking about roofs, Melbourne's Rectangular Stadium has a unique bio-frame roof that uses 50% less steel than a regular cantilever roof. You can watch the construction at: http://www.mopt.com.au/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-178/.
Lastly, Croke Park in Dublin revealed that the 82,000 capacity stadium generated more than 4,500 tons of C02 annually. Fans have been able to offer carbon offset pledges to benefit the afcility. If a fan uses public transportation or uses less electricty cooking the Gaelic Athletic Association is able to aggregate these energy reduction pledges into CO2 ofsets. Whiel the program was meant to run for six years, the facility became carbon neutral after just one year form the fan offsets.
Gil-
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)