D-backs and Levy Restaurants donate more than four tons of food to Church on the Street during 2014 season
PHOENIX - The Arizona Diamondbacks and Levy Restaurants donated more than four tons (9,000 pounds) of stadium food from Chase Field to Church on the Street throughout the 2014 season. The donated food equals 7,500 meals that help people in need in the Phoenix community through Church on the Street.
The D-backs and Levy Restaurants work together to collect unsold food as a way to recycle and reduce the food waste generated at each game at Chase Field. The program is just one example of many sustainability efforts the D-backs incorporate throughout the season and year round.
Other sustainability efforts include:
• In 2014, the D-backs replaced fluorescent lighting along the main concourse with energy-efficient LED lighting that will reduce the main concourse lighting power consumption by 60 percent each year
• Hosted the first-ever Zero-Waste Spring Training game in Arizona on March 13, 2014 at Salt River Fields to bring awareness to recycling and composting
• Contributing members of the Green Sports Alliance, a groundbreaking coalition of professional sports teams and sporting venues committed to promoting "greening initiatives" in sports
• The APS Solar Pavilion, a 17,280 square foot shade structure that generates 100,000 kWh of solar energy, generates enough electricity to power the lights at Chase Field for 11 home games
• APS Electric vehicle chargers located outside Chase Field for fans to charge their car and learn more about alternative energy-powered cars
• APS Green Series which is held annually to help educate fans on how to become more energy efficient and help protect the environment. During the APS Green Series, the D-backs purchased Green Energy from APS to power Chase Field for the entire three-game weekend
• D-backs media guides are available electronically; D-backs Insider magazine is printed with soy ink on recycled content paper; most marketing collateral printed on FSC certified products
• Renovation of Game Seven Grill on the Gila River Casinos Plaza included high-efficiency LED lighting and conversion of building to Building Management System to efficiently control energy use
• D-backs game day event and concessions staff shirts are each made from RPET fabric (each shirt created from 16 recycled plastic bottles)
• Grease is recycled into biodiesel fuel and vendors distribute bio-based and compostable food service items
• D-backs offer a reusable "loyalty cup" to season ticket holders
• All paper products used at Chase Field are comprised of recycled material
• Recycling containers are placed throughout the concourse, administrative office and press box
• LED equipment is used throughout the ballpark, including the scoreboard display
In addition, Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, the D-backs Spring Training facility, was the first venue of its kind in the United States to be LEED Gold Certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. The facility's sustainable project elements include siting the stadium to provide maximum shade, using native vegetation, minimizing stormwater runoff, maximizing the amount of fresh air brought in through its HVAC systems and using grass-covered parking lots, rather than asphalt, that can double as playing fields for the community when not in use.
For more information on D-backs sustainability efforts, visit www.dbacks.com/green.