I have often said that Baseball is a social institution with important social responsibilities. Just as Baseball took a leading role in the development of relations between the races in the United States, with the appearance of Jackie Robinson for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, so must it turn its attention, efforts, and influence to other important social issues. One of those issues, which is inextricably linked to all aspects of our game, is care for the environment. Every club, regardless of its field surface, seeks to create a healthy and pleasant environment for its players and fans. This requires attention to a wide array of environmental issues, including clean air, clean water, fertilizers, pesticides, transportation, procurement policies, and the collection and disposal of waste materials generated by baseball activities.

Baseball is in a unique position to exert positive influence in the area of environmental stewardship. This issue is of increasing importance to our fans and our sponsors. What we do at the Major League level can set a standard for the Minor Leagues, Amateur Baseball and youth and recreational baseball around the world. Sound environmental practices make business sense, help clubs be good citizens and protect our natural resources for future generations of fans. This guide developed by Major League Baseball and the Natural Resources Defense Council will show you a wide variety of practices and techniques which can achieve all of these important objectives.

Many years ago, Commissioner Bart Giamatti reminded us of our responsibilities, in his book “Take Time for Paradise”:

“Public places require constant care—they require cleanliness, reasonable order, coherence, and accessibility; they require attention to parking lots, restrooms, alcohol management and reasonable audio/video policies on giant scoreboards; they require awareness that the older, traditional fans, for whom the contest is a ceremony, and the less conventionally-minded, younger fans, for whom the contest is an occasion for their own separate pleasure, must both be accommodated so that the energy, the fervent zeal, the rousing excitement, and the happy camaraderie of competition we so value when we come together can continue to flourish for masses of us in the artificial but real confines of that special world, set aside but urban, the stadium holding paradise, the public place for public pleasure.”

The ideas, suggestions, and proposed policies in this guide will help you respond to our social obligation to come for the “public place” essential to the game we love and all the activities that support it. This guide will allow you to build new relationships with your sponsors and fans and will provide a significant opportunity to engage the next generation, many of whom deeply care about environmental stewardship. Please consider making the guide available to your sponsors and amateur and youth baseball programs in your area. The ideas contained in it will benefit anyone responsible for operating any business or maintaining a recreational field. We look forward to hearing about your experience with this guide, as well as your idea to improve it.