Back in the day, Eric May, now director of stadium operations for the Tucson Toros, was amazed at how much trash was left behind after every baseball game. There were plastic bottles, aluminum cans, cardboard and cups that all got tossed into dumpsters and taken to the landfill to be buried. May, who has worked the baseball scene for the Toros, Tucson Sidewinders and the Arizona Diamondbacks, says he wants all that to change. He has made it both a personal and professional initiative to turn the Toros operations green.

“We are a throwaway society and I’ve been aware of this ever since I was a kid.  It always bothered me, so in my personal life I’ve made it a point to be conscious of what I’m doing to not create unnecessary trash.  So when I became facilities manager at Tucson Electric Park, which was prior to the Toros coming back, I tried to implement a recycling program. I tried for three years to no avail and was told it was too costly, took too much labor, too much time and there were too many perceived barriers to get a recycling program going.  The push for green wasn’t there like it is now. In coming over to the Toros operation this year, I decided it was that important that I was going to ram it through no matter what anyone else thought.  Because the timing was right, we’ve now got the City of Tucson and Tucson Clean and Beautiful on board,” he says.

For starters, May has mandated a cleaning crew to collect and separate all trash. The familiar ‘blue bins’ will be  placed around Hi Corbett Field to encourage fans to also do their part. In addition, May will implement a public education program by putting up signage about recycling.

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But the greening process isn’t limited to just collecting trash. Jay Zucker, president, CEO and owner of the Toros is committed to purchasing recycled food trays, napkins and paper products for the concession stands as well as greening the team’s internal office operations.

“Any significant organization has a social responsibility to be sensitive to the environment. The Tucson Toros are no exception,” says Zucker. “We deal with a large fan base and can really set an example.  It’s not so much about what the costs are to recycle.  In the big picture, it’s more an attitude.  What are our policies and how are we going to execute them?” 

Plans are also in the works for Hi Corbett to host an Earth Day-type celebration in August where any group who wants to show support for green can set up a table. May is trying to get as many sponsors as possible. 

“So far we have Home Depot, Terry Dee from the Habistore (Habitat for Humanity) is involved as well as BJ Cordova from Tucson Clean and Beautiful and some water harvesting groups,” May says. “We’re also working with Sunflower Market to do a giveaway of their reusable shopping bags. And, we’ve invited local car dealerships who sell hybrid and alternative fuel cars to bring those out for people to see.”

The Toros may also establish Hi Corbett as a collection point for old cell phones and monitors but that hasn’t been finalized.

As far as baseball organizations go, May says he doesn’t know how ‘green’ the Toros operation will be in comparison to others around the country, but one thing for sure is that he is committed to making green living, as well as baseball, at least Tucson’s favorite pastime.

Tucson Toros

www.tucsontoros.com

(520) 325-1010

Inaugural Golden Baseball League season opens with a four-game homestand against the Chico

(Calif.) Outlaws at 7 p.m.,

May 21, 22, 23 and 24.

Home games at Hi Corbett Field, 3400 E. Camino Campestre in Randolph Park

 Mae Lee Sun is a Tucson-based freelance writer.