Our Tribe is Green

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The Official Site of the Cleveland Indians

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Our Tribe is Green

Our Tribe is Green

Pepsi Recycling Bottles at Progressive Field

Since its inaugural year in 1994, Progressive Field has been recycling plastic, cardboard, and aluminum. The home of the Cleveland Indians continues to be among the industry leaders in taking a proactive approach to supporting various environmental initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint at Progressive Field.

The Indians are energized to continue supporting the environment by expanding upon the campaign "Our Tribe is Green." Launched in 2008, the campaign focuses on recycling during all game days with "Pepsi" recyclable containers throughout Progressive Field for plastic bottles. This program is also implemented in the home and visiting clubhouses throughout the Major League Baseball season and during this offseason. The Tribe recycling efforts are extended into the front office and include recycling all paper and cardboard products. Organic waste composting was added in 2010 and expanded in 2011.

The Cleveland Indians organization is committed to exploring opportunities to help preserve the environment through the use of advanced energy and green options. The organization is pioneering sustainability initiatives by becoming the first in Major League Baseball harness the power of the wind with the 2012 installation of an experimental designed wind turbine. The ease of the Indians recycling program has yielded great results with a 23% recycling rate in 2011 the highest recycling capacity in ballpark history! The Indians understand the responsibility of improving the quality of life by being environmentally conscious within the walls of Progressive Field and beyond. Using sustainable technologies is not only good for the community, but good for baseball.

TRIBE ECO-FRIENDLY INITIATIVES

Wind Power at Progressive Field

The Cleveland Indians in partnership with Cleveland State University (CSU) proudly announce the installation of a new wind turbine at Progressive Field in 2012. The pioneering wind turbine is located on the south-east corner of the ballpark. Development of the wind turbine has been funded through grants from the U.S. Department of Energy and the State of Ohio. The structure installation is an ongoing effort of the Cleveland Indians to continue and promote sustainability initiatives within Northeast Ohio.

This innovative "helical wind turbine" design is more conducive for urban areas and confined spaces than a traditional long-blade wind turbine and rated at 25,000kWh per year.
Dr. Majid Rashidi, a professor of Mechanical Engineering at Cleveland State University's Fenn College created the turbine's design.
The Cleveland Indians are the first Major League Baseball team to install a wind turbine.

Recycling and Trash

Progressive Field was the chosen host location for the 2011 National Recycling Day led by Natural Resources Defense Council.
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Items recycled are cardboard, paper, aluminum, plastic #1, scrap metal, cooking oil, florescent bulbs and ballast, batteries, electronics, organics (compost), and wood pallets.
173.93 tons of materials have been recycled, so far, in 2011.
47% fewer tons of trash generated since 2007.
Number of trash pickups cut by more than 60% since 2007.
Each Progressive Field office and cubicle has blue recycling bins for paper products.

Environmentally Friendly Products

All of the new Progressive Field signs installed in 2008 are LED lighting, which offers energy cost savings, low-voltage operation, a reduction in CO2 emissions, and are environmentally safe as they contain no UV, infrared or glass.
Over 74,000 tons of CO2 emissions were avoided since 2009.
Green Seal certified and 100% recycled content paper hand towels, toilet tissue, facial tissue used in the ballpark and front office.
Green Seal certified cleaning products.
Compostable sugar cane based cutlery and hot serve cups in the front office.
Compostable paper and sugar cane lined hot serve cups in the Press Box.
Biodegradable retail bags within all Indians Team Shops.

Solar

Indians Mascot Slider, Green Energy of Ohio Director Bill Spratley, The Cleveland Foundation President/CEO Ronn Richard and State of Ohio Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher at the 2007 Progressive Field Solar Panel Ribbon Cutting.

The first American League ballpark to go solar.
Green Energy Ohio partnered with Doty and Miller Architects to design and install the 42 GE solar panels. To view current energy usage saved and greenhouse emissions avoided by the installation of the Solar Panels visit www.greenenergyohio.org/indians
Over 37,500kWh produced since the June 2007 solar panel commission.
The solar installation provides 8.4 kilowatts of clean, renewable electricity.
The electricity produced from the solar installation is enough to power 400 television sets throughout Progressive Field.

Delaware North Green Initiatives

GreenPath

GreenPath is the Environmental Management System (EMS) developed to enhance environmental awareness DNC/Indians employees, guests of Progressive Field and partners.
Focuses on maintain responsible energy and materials use.
Energy Use: HVAC, Refrigeration, Lights, etc.
Materials: Paper products, Cleaning products, Cans, Bottles, etc.
Progressive Field/Indians DNC Sportservice received ISO 14001 Registration. For more information visit www.delawarenorthgreenpath.com

Green Living Tips

From Natural Resources Defense Council. For more information visit nrdc.org

SAVE ENERGY II BEING GREEN AT WORK II TRAVEL GREEN

Save Energy

Don't forget the basics. This simple stuff will save energy -- and money -- right now.

Unplug
- Unplug seldom-used appliances, like an extra refrigerator in the basement or garage that contains just a few items. You may save around $10 every month on your utility bill.
- Unplug your chargers when you're not charging. Every house is full of little plastic power supplies to charge cell phones, PDA's, digital cameras, cordless tools and other personal gadgets.
- Use power strips to switch off televisions, home theater equipment, and stereos when you're not using them. Even when you think these products are off, together, their "standby" consumption can be equivalent to that of a 75 or 100 watt light bulb running continuously.
Set Computers to Sleep and Hibernate
- Enable the "sleep mode" feature on your computer, allowing it to use less power during periods of inactivity. In Windows, the power management settings are found on your control panel. Mac users, look for energy saving settings under system preferences in the apple menu.
- Configure your computer to "hibernate" automatically after 30 minutes or so of inactivity. The "hibernate mode" turns the computer off in a way that doesn't require you to reload everything when you switch it back on.
Take Control of Temperature
- Set your thermostat in winter to 68 degrees or less during the daytime, and 55 degrees before going to sleep (or when you're away for the day). During the summer, set thermostats to 78 degrees or more.
- Use sunlight wisely. During the heating season, leave shades and blinds open on sunny days, but close them at night to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows. Close shades and blinds during the summer or when the air conditioner is in use or will be in use later in the day.
- Set the thermostat on your water heater between 120 and 130 degrees. Lower temperatures can save more energy, but you might run out of hot water or end up using extra electricity to boost the hot water temperature in your dishwasher.
Use Appliances Efficiently
- Set your refrigerator temperature at 38 to 42 degrees Fahrenheit; your freezer should be set between 0 and 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Use the power-save switch if your fridge has one, and make sure the door seals tightly. You can check this by making sure that a dollar bill closed in between the door gaskets is difficult to pull out. If it slides easily between the gaskets, replace them.
- Don't preheat or "peek" inside the oven more than necessary. Check the seal on the oven door, and use a microwave oven for cooking or reheating small items.
- Wash only full loads in your dishwasher, using short cycles for all but the dirtiest dishes. This saves water and the energy used to pump and heat it. Air-drying, if you have the time, can also reduce energy use.
- In your clothes washer, set the appropriate water level for the size of the load; wash in cold water when practical, and always rinse in cold.
- Clean the lint filter in the dryer after each use. Dry heavy and light fabrics separately and don't add wet items to a load that's already partly dry. If available, use the moisture sensor setting. (A clothesline is the most energy-efficient clothes dryer of all!)
Turn out the lights
- Don't forget to flick the switch when you leave a room.
- Remember this at the office, too. Turn out or dim the lights in unused conference rooms, and when you step out for lunch. Work by daylight when possible. A typical commercial building uses more energy for lighting than anything else.

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Being Green at Work

Buy energy-efficient office equipment - Energy Star-rated equipment is an option at work as well as at home. Energy Star equipment has power management features that allow it to reduce its power use or turn itself off when not in use. According to the EPA, Energy Star-labeled equipment can save up to 75 percent of total electricity use.
Recycle - If your office doesn't have a recycling program, work with your office manager and custodial staff to set one up. Paper, aluminum cans, and plastic bottles are easy to start with, and additional materials can be added as the staff gets used to recycling. Set up bins in convenient areas to collect each type of material your office recycles, and make sure everyone knows they are there.
Commit to environmentally friendly purchasing practices - Encourage your company to make a commitment to purchasing paper and plastic materials made with post-consumer recycled content. Companies should avoid paper products made from 100 percent virgin fiber content, and switch to paper that is 30 percent post-consumer content at minimum.
Be thrifty with paper - Don't print out each memo or email you receive. Read and delete the ones you don't need to save and electronically file others you might refer to later. Make two-sided copies rather than one-sided option. High-speed copiers that are set to automatically make two-sided copies reduce paper costs by $60 per month. Save even more paper by using the blank sides of used sheets of paper for note-taking and printing drafts.
Use reusable utensils for office parties - Invest in a set of dishes, cups, and utensils that can be used each time, rather than breaking out plastic utensils and paper plates.
Bring a waste-free lunch - Store your food in reusable containers rather than wrapping it in foil or plastic. Keep a knife, fork, spoon, and cloth napkins at work to avoid the need for plastic utensils and paper napkins. Bring your hot or cold drinks in a thermos, and drink them from a mug you keep at your desk or in your work area.

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Travel Green

Look for more fuel-efficient, less polluting cars - Think about trading your vehicle for a more fuel-efficient car. A car that gets 20 miles to the gallon will emit about 50 tons of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Double the gas mileage and you cut the emissions by half. Investigate the many new ultra-clean alternative fuel vehicles available. Reconsider extra features such as automatic transmission and 4-wheel drive -- they are often unnecessary and eat into gas mileage.
Keep your car in good condition - Get your engine tuned up regularly, change the oil, and keep your tires inflated properly -- proper maintenance can increase your car's fuel efficiency by 10 percent and reduce emissions.
Cut driving miles - Each gallon of gas used in your car releases about 24 pounds of atmospheric-warming carbon dioxide. Cutting your driving by just five miles each day would contribute to keeping tons of carbon dioxide from entering the air.
Carpool - If every car carried just one more passenger on its daily commute, 32 million gallons of gasoline (and the pollution produced by it) would be saved each day.
Leave the car at home - Get in the habit of riding buses or trains as often as you can (just think of all the new people you'll meet!). For short distances, ride a bike or walk whenever possible.
Encourage streets for bikes and pedestrians - Encourage officials in your community to increase features such as bike lanes and pedestrian malls, and push for traffic-calming techniques like speed bumps, raised crosswalks and extended and widened sidewalks. The more pedestrian- and bike-friendly an area is, the more people will walk and ride and the less they'll drive. This means less congestion, less energy consumption, less pollution.

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