Comments on: Reds Attempting to Reduce Carbon Footprint http://www.snobsvsslobs.com/?p=497 The site where White Sox and Cubs fan try to work out their differences. Or not. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 11:34:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.2 By: brix http://www.snobsvsslobs.com/?p=497#comment-4739 brix Mon, 14 May 2007 21:04:03 +0000 http://www.snobsvsslobs.com/?p=497#comment-4739 Not knowing if the original article addresses this, the biggest CO2 impact in pro sports is probably the travel. On May 5, the Vancouver Sun was guest-edited by David Suzuki (a prominent Canadian environmentalist) and the front page of the sports section featured a road-trip-by-road-trip accounting of all the miles the Vancouver Canucks logged over the last season. In the end, it adds up to a lot of carbon. Not knowing if the original article addresses this, the biggest CO2 impact in pro sports is probably the travel. On May 5, the Vancouver Sun was guest-edited by David Suzuki (a prominent Canadian environmentalist) and the front page of the sports section featured a road-trip-by-road-trip accounting of all the miles the Vancouver Canucks logged over the last season. In the end, it adds up to a lot of carbon.

]]> By: Taft http://www.snobsvsslobs.com/?p=497#comment-4740 Taft Mon, 14 May 2007 21:17:51 +0000 http://www.snobsvsslobs.com/?p=497#comment-4740 Oh yeah, the biggest environmental factor has gotta be the travel, especially in baseball, where there are so many games. The good thing about baseball is that there are three and four game series, so the teams are traveling (at most) two times a week, rather than three or four times a week (at most). Also, the unbalanced schedule makes for more intra-divisional travel (and therefore shorter trips). In the NHL and NBA, you might have a game in Seattle one night, a game in Miami two nights later, and a game in Oakland the night after that. The problem is that you can't really reduce the amount of travel that any pro baseball team is going to do. Obviously there are ways baseball could make the travel more efficient (getting hybrid buses for the shorter trips, hiring more fuel-efficient airplanes for the longer ones). But I wonder if there is anything baseball could do in terms of scheduling to make travel more efficient? Oh yeah, the biggest environmental factor has gotta be the travel, especially in baseball, where there are so many games. The good thing about baseball is that there are three and four game series, so the teams are traveling (at most) two times a week, rather than three or four times a week (at most). Also, the unbalanced schedule makes for more intra-divisional travel (and therefore shorter trips). In the NHL and NBA, you might have a game in Seattle one night, a game in Miami two nights later, and a game in Oakland the night after that. The problem is that you can’t really reduce the amount of travel that any pro baseball team is going to do. Obviously there are ways baseball could make the travel more efficient (getting hybrid buses for the shorter trips, hiring more fuel-efficient airplanes for the longer ones). But I wonder if there is anything baseball could do in terms of scheduling to make travel more efficient?

]]> By: brix http://www.snobsvsslobs.com/?p=497#comment-4741 brix Wed, 16 May 2007 15:49:21 +0000 http://www.snobsvsslobs.com/?p=497#comment-4741 So here's a thought for, say, the Cubs. Amtrak runs regular passenger service to Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Detroit. What would it cost the Cubs to buy their own railcar (or two) and have Amtrak hook it on to one of their trains? Definitely be very cool, if nothing else. So here’s a thought for, say, the Cubs. Amtrak runs regular passenger service to Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Detroit. What would it cost the Cubs to buy their own railcar (or two) and have Amtrak hook it on to one of their trains? Definitely be very cool, if nothing else.

]]> By: R.J. http://www.snobsvsslobs.com/?p=497#comment-4742 R.J. Wed, 16 May 2007 15:58:54 +0000 http://www.snobsvsslobs.com/?p=497#comment-4742 If the Cubs are anything like the Nationals/O's, they probably take a bus or drive themselves to the Milwaukee game, right? Certainly running a hybrid bus or some other such "green" endeavor would be smart. The Sox would benefit the most from this sort of thing, I think. Amtrak runs regular service to all the AL Central cities and if Amtrack would run an Acela line there, it would be just as fast as flying. The problem is that those Acela lines probably aren't very popular. I know they're not really that helpful (though something is always better than nothing), I think buying carbon credits is the best any MLB team is going to do in regards to travel. Private flight is the preferred way of travel for professional athletes and the nature of their schedules. If the Cubs are anything like the Nationals/O’s, they probably take a bus or drive themselves to the Milwaukee game, right? Certainly running a hybrid bus or some other such “green” endeavor would be smart.

The Sox would benefit the most from this sort of thing, I think. Amtrak runs regular service to all the AL Central cities and if Amtrack would run an Acela line there, it would be just as fast as flying. The problem is that those Acela lines probably aren’t very popular.

I know they’re not really that helpful (though something is always better than nothing), I think buying carbon credits is the best any MLB team is going to do in regards to travel. Private flight is the preferred way of travel for professional athletes and the nature of their schedules.

]]> By: Taft http://www.snobsvsslobs.com/?p=497#comment-4743 Taft Wed, 16 May 2007 19:38:19 +0000 http://www.snobsvsslobs.com/?p=497#comment-4743 Brix: I love the Cubs Amtrak train idea. Ross: The Cubs definitely bus it to Milwaukee, and may even do the bus for St. Louis. Speaking from a purely selfish standpoint, I'd love to see a midwestern Acela line that would connect Detroit/Chicago/Milwaukee/St. Louis.... but I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon. Brix: I love the Cubs Amtrak train idea.

Ross: The Cubs definitely bus it to Milwaukee, and may even do the bus for St. Louis. Speaking from a purely selfish standpoint, I’d love to see a midwestern Acela line that would connect Detroit/Chicago/Milwaukee/St. Louis…. but I don’t think that’s going to happen anytime soon.

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