A view of the entrance to WellSpan Park. | Photo by Aaron Chun
The York Revolution join other Atlantic League teams in improving sustainability efforts.
(York, PA) The York Revolution, a staple of entertainment in the area of York County, are upping their efforts to be more environmentally friendly, including a project with another local facility.
Why Go Green?
Environmental sustainability is a hot issue that has increased in recent years. Human-caused climate change has created adverse impacts that are only set to continue intensifying, as reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In a series of reports from March 2023, there have already been a number of negative effects from human-driven climate change, such as a decrease in water availability, decreases in crop production, as well as displacement of populations and malnutrition driven by heat and wildfires. By 2030, the IPCC’s report warns that by 2030, climate resilience efforts could be severely handicapped if temperatures increase by 1.5°C. There is already great risk of this, as the Earth’s temperature was reported to be 1.1° higher from 2011-2020 than it was from 1850-1900. In their synthesis report, Aditi Mukherji, one of the authors of the report, noted that nearly half of the world’s population lives in climate vulnerable areas. Christopher Trisos, another author in the report, noted that “prioritizing climate risk reduction for low-income and marginalized communities” would be a huge impact in improving efforts to fight against climate impacts. Access to clean energy and technology would also work to benefit the health of others, and economic benefits could be made as well from clean air practices.
President Menzer Reflects On Struggles
The Revolution’s President, Eric Menzer, admitted in an interview that there were a variety of challenges facing the team. Menzer made note of the fact that many employees behind the scenes “have just graduated [college],” and continuing to clarify by saying “they’re getting their career started with us and they’re gonna be with us for the next couple years, then they’re going to go on to the next step of their career.” As the Revolution do not have a Chief Sustainability or Recycling Officer, those duties typically end up in Menzer’s hands, as well as a few other employees. While he noted that there always many good intentions and ideas for sustainability, it can be hard to be able to bring these ideas to fruition. Menzer also noted the struggles in municipality recycling programs and in the recycling market, leading to collected recyclables still getting thrown out.
A More Positive Outlook
While Menzer noted a multitude of struggles during the interview, he also spoke on some of the positive aspects of creating a sustainable business outlook. Menzer noted that while the business of running an Atlantic League team meant lots of rapid employee turnover, he still had a number of long-term employees, some who have been around since the team’s first season. The long-term employees are often tasked with trying to launch sustainability efforts. New hires, however, who often tend to be on the younger side, are highly motivated to work towards helping with sustainability issues, as noted by Menzer.
CRDC Will Take Your Plastic
One project Menzer spoke about was with CRDC Global. Towards the end of the season, the Revolution launched a project that encouraged fans to separate certain kinds of plastic waste, including plastic utensils and bottles, which would then be given to the York CRDC facility. The project was promoted on social media, as well as being promoted throughout the stadium jumbotron. Menzer noted how he saw greater success with smaller crowds, while larger crowds struggled to produce the same positive output. Menzer hopes that this initiative can grow even further in 2025 and beyond.
An outlook on the Revolution’s new initiative with CRDC. | Made by Aaron Chun
CRDC Global
CRDC Global is a company that works to turn plastic waste into a fine powder called RESIN8, which in turn can be used to improve the integrity of concrete and asphalt, creating a solution to keep plastic waste out of the environment. Additionally, RESIN8 is effective in making concrete more effective in being insulated, improving fire resistance, and making concrete lighter. However, its ability to make use of plastic waste and keep it out of the environment is its biggest advantage. In October 2022, the first US facility was put up in York, PA, and located within two miles of WellSpan Park.
“Go Green” Promotional Night
The Home Run Patio in WellSpan Park. | Photo by Aaron Chun
Alongside stadium efforts to make operations more friendly to the environment, the team has also held a “Go Green Night” with the York County Solid Waste Authority. The night was designed to increase awareness for environmental care, and has been a staple of the Revolution’s promotional calendar over the last two seasons, giving away items such as an eco-friendly silicone wine glass and reusable bags.
Minor League Sports Are Improving Sustainability
The Revolution are one of many smaller teams looking to make a bigger impact in the world. In a research paper by Sara Nimmo, she studied how various minor league sports teams were looking to improve their business sustainability, but also environmental sustainability. Nimmo detailed how organizations placed a bigger focus on improving facilities and reducing energy emissions through methods such as using LED lights, which operate to be more energy friendly, reducing waste and using sustainable fertilizers to maintain the field’s grass, both in and out of the season. These business practices help to not only make stadium operations more environmentally friendly, but cost-friendly as well.
The Bigger Picture
A timeline of events mentioned within the story. | Made by Aaron Chun
The Revolution have done their part in improving sustainability efforts and are continuing to evolve those efforts. However, the team represents just a small part of York. The city as a whole outlined many different plans in their 20-year plan titled “York 2044,” outlining various different hopes for the future of the city. Within the section titled “Reducing our Carbon Footprint and Greenhouse Gases,” a variety of proposed goals are made, ranging from the simple promotion of reusable straws and bags, to more ambitious hopes such as developing diversion programs designed to remove trash from landfills, and turning vacant lots into community gardens. Though these plans are not concrete, there is a clear skeleton on which the city can begin working towards accomplishing these sustainability goals.
What is The Atlantic League?
The York Revolution play in the Atlantic League, a Professional Partner League with Major League Baseball. The league is highly popular amongst baseball fans, offering a cheaper alternative to MLB games, and has drawn in 46 million fans since its inception in 1998. There are teams in the Atlantic League in Lancaster, as well as Staten Island and Long Island. Many ex-MLB and MiLB players have played or coached in the league throughout its storied history, including 6-time All-Star Francisco Rodriguez, 3-time World Series winner Pablo Sandoval, 20-year veteran Rich Hill, and left-handed pitcher Tommy John, who underwent an experimental surgical procedure that has gone on to save the careers of various professional pitchers.
A banner on the outside of the stadium featuring Shawn Hill. A pitcher in MLB from 2004-2012, Hill played two seasons as a member of the Revolution. | Photo by Aaron Chun
References:
Atlantic League. (n.d.). About Us – Atlantic League Pro Baseball. https://atlanticleague.com/about-us/
CRDC Global. (2022). First-ever U.S. Facility Transforms Unwanted Plastic Waste Into Concrete Additive. https://crdc.global/first-ever-u-s-facility-transforms-unwanted-plastic-waste-into-concrete-additive/
IIPC. (2023). Adverse impacts from human-caused climate change will continue to intensify. AR6 Synthesis Report, Figure SPM.1. https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/figures/figure-spm-1
IIPC. (2023). There is a rapidly narrowing window of opportunity to enable climate resilient development. AR6 Synthesis Report, Figure SPM.6. https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/figures/figure-spm-6
IIPC. (2023). Urgent climate action can secure a liveable future for all. https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/downloads/press/IPCC_AR6_SYR_PressRelease_en.pdf
Nimmo, S. (2022). Sustainability in Minor League Sports. 25-32. https://digitalcommons.coastal.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1446&context=honors-theses
York Revolution. (2023). ‘GREEN’ GIVEAWAY, FOOD FEASTS HIGHLIGHT LATEST REVOLUTION PROMOTION ANNOUNCEMENT. https://yorkrevolution.com/green-giveaway-food-feasts-highlight-latest-revolution-promotion-announcement/
York Revolution. (2024). Revs Announce April and May Promotions. https://yorkrevolution.com/revs-announce-april-and-may-promotions/