Earth Day 2007: Tips on keeping fields "green"

As the world celebrates Earth Day, the Baseball Tomorrow Fund would like to share some "green" techniques that will help you keep your fields beautiful and safe, while being kind to the environment. Recently BTF sat down with experts in the areas of field maintenance and lighting to learn more about environmentally friendly options.

"Green" Field Maintenance

About Larry DiVito:

Washington Nationals Head Groundskeeper Larry DiVito waters the field at RFK Stadium. (Courtesy Washington Nationals)

Larry DiVito began in professional baseball in 1995 as Head Groundskeeper of the AAA Pawtucket Red Sox. After seven seasons there, he moved on to become Grounds Crew Supervisor for the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he worked for four seasons. In 2006 Larry became Head Groundskeeper for the Washington Nationals and Major League Soccer's DC United at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC.

What is more environmentally friendly - natural grass or artificial turf?

That certainly is a tough question. Natural grass releases oxygen into the environment and absorbs carbon dioxide. In any urban or densely settled area, natural turfgrass can be considered, much like trees, as a positive element. However, well maintained grass does require irrigation. Likewise, grass also needs to be fed and mowed. Lawnmowers account for approximately 5% of air pollution produced by the United States. In addition, grass clippings in landfills release methane, a greenhouse gas. However, by maintaining your turfgrass with a sensible and balanced fertility program, you can help to control the rate of growth on your field, hence eliminating the need to throw away excess clippings. Mow on a consistent basis, without removing more than 1/3 of the leaf blade for each cut. In doing this, you may let the clippings fall back to the turf, which returns nutrients to the plant. In addition to being better for the environment, this method will save you the time and hassle of collecting and dumping your clippings.

Artificial turf has evolved a great deal in the past decade and has established itself with a strong presence in the athletic landscape of America; however, many types of synthetic turf available today do have some drawbacks. While synthetic turf seemingly saves water, the surface can get extremely hot. This has led to a trend of field managers having to water their synthetic fields in an attempt to cool them off. This is the environmental equivalent of letting your garden hose run straight into the gutter. The solution, of course, is not to practice or play at times when the surface is too hot, rather than waste water. Another drawback of synthetic fields that has come into light in recent years is their inability to neutralize bacterial contamination in the natural way that grass does. Recently, athletic field managers have begun using bacterial disinfectants as often as twice a month on synthetic turf.

In the end, which is better for the environment? That is up to decision makers and parents to decide. Each has its drawbacks and benefits. One must also consider the expected longevity of each. Synthetic fields that are heavily used do not have an infinite lifespan. Natural grass with a proper maintenance program can be overseeded for many, many years; giving the turf potential for a long life.

What types of products are available to those who want to maintain natural grass fields in an environmentally friendly way? What are the pros and cons of these products?

There are more and more products coming into the turf maintenance marketplace every year that are friendly to the environment. More turf maintenance equipment is now available in an electric version, which reduces emissions. There are also dozens of organic fertilizers available. Another product is Turface, a heat treated clay that can absorb and hold moisture in your infield dirt, which will help you conserve water when maintaining your infield.

As with many consumer products, it can cost a little more to be "green;" however, using higher end products may cost more on the front end, but over time the results will pay off. For example, by using products with more slow release nitrogen, you can sustain healthy color longer and reduce your time on the mower.

Just one piece of advice: before you buy a product that markets itself as environmentally friendly, try and find out why and how it makes that claim.

RFK Stadium, home of the Washington Nationals. (Courtesy Musco Lighting ©erictaylorphoto.com)

In addition to product selection, what are some other ways to lessen the impact on the environment while performing field maintenance?

First of all, the responsible use of fertilizers is critical. Keep granular and liquid fertilizers from reaching hard surfaces where they will be washed into storm drains. When cleaning your equipment, wash it somewhere away from drains where chemicals as well as gasoline can be washed into a river or bay. Also, avoid applying granular fertilizer before any extremely heavy rain that could wash it into drains or catch basins.

The use of water in a thoughtful manner is also a critical part of running an environmentally friendly ballpark. To have quality infield dirt, you are going to need to soak it deeply from time to time. The best time to do that is late in the day or into the evening under the lights. The water you apply in later hours will not evaporate as quickly and you will use less water to achieve your desired result.

Another more important way to conserve water doesn't cost you anything but your time. Setting your irrigation controller to water automatically for a fixed cycle 3 or 4 times a week may seem like a logical approach to field management. My approach is completely different. I make an educated decision each time I irrigate to apply a certain amount of water to specific zones on the field based upon many factors: weather, rate of evaporation, field use schedule and condition of the turf. All of these factors change daily. By manually programming my irrigation, I not only conserve water, I also give the field what it needs. It takes a bit more of your time to irrigate in this manner, but you will save a great deal of water every year and feel better about your field.

If a groundskeeper has a limited budget and wants to be environmentally conscious, what will make the greatest impact?

Two things that will give you a great field won't cost you a dime. The first is a good work ethic. Field maintenance is something many of us in baseball enjoy, but there will always be times you are not motivated to work on your field. That is when you need to push yourself. If you get behind on things, you may never catch up. The goal is to stay ahead so that when factors you cannot control, such as weather, come into play, you are able to recover from those bumps in the road and move forward.

The second thing is the ability to work with your eyes open and understand the implications of everything you do. Each day on your fields, you make decisions both large and small that impact appearance, playability and the environment. Controlling the nutrients you apply to your field is directly related to your mowing schedule and water usage. Applying nitrogen high in salts increases your chance of tip burn and will increase your need for water throughout the soil profile. Too much quick release nitrogen means more time on the mower and potentially cutting too much turf at once.

What are the environmentally friendly methods of pest control?

Hewitt Field at Vanderwilt Park in Oskaloosa, Iowa. (Coutesy Musco Lighting)

By practicing integrated pest management (IPM), you can decide to be friendly to the environment. This means eliminating or minimizing the use of pesticides. Only extreme cases of disease or insect invasion would warrant the use of pesticides under an IPM program. The goal is to think ahead, proactively, and manage your turf responsibly to have natural resistance to pests and weeds. In doing so, you may have to accept that your turf will not appear as pristine as Seattle's Safeco Field or Dodger Stadium. Television has raised the bar for turf appearance and it is not realistic to expect a heavily used community diamond to always appear perfect.

What environmentally friendly field maintenance practices have gained momentum recently?

One product mentioned earlier, Turface, will improve your infield dirt in a big way. In addition to helping you save water, it will help you play through more rain and increase player safety. When worked 2 or 3 inches into your dirt profile, Turface will occupy pore space, reducing compaction in the dirt. While doing so, Turface will hold onto moisture and reduce the amount of water you need to apply to your dirt to keep it safe.

A recent advancement in the area of fertilizer is stabilized urea nitrogen. This fertilizer contains Urease inhibitors that stabilize nitrogen in two ways. First, the urea does not escape into the atmosphere through volatilization. Second, another inhibitor minimizes leaching of the urea into the soil. This allows you to apply just the right amount of fertilizer and have it work for your turf and not be wasted by escaping to the environment.

If you could dispel one myth about field maintenance and the environment, what would it be?

One of the biggest misconceptions about field maintenance at the professional level is the idea that we are constantly throwing chemicals and pesticides onto our fields. By my third season in the minor leagues, I was comfortable enough in my ability to grow turf that I stopped using weed control altogether. Proper mowing, watering, feeding and overseeding will allow your turf to compete with weeds and keep them from developing on your field. (If, however, you do see some weeds, just grab a large screwdriver and pop them out of the ground rather than using a chemical product.) Being familiar with your field allows you to minimize pesticide use. For instance, rather than applying insecticide for grub control, know the history of your field and evaluate whether grubs are a big problem. Sample your soil in random areas. The occasional grub will not destroy your field and perhaps you can eliminate a pesticide application.

Do you have any final thoughts for those who care for youth baseball and softball fields?

One thing I can't stress enough is the human element to all of this. Walking your field and constantly evaluating it will give you a daily image in your mind of what state your field is in. This can be accomplished when mowing as well. Instead of focusing on the music you are listening to while mowing, look closely at your turf and make productive use of your time.

By simply using common sense and caring about the small environment you maintain, you can in turn be a positive influence on the earth and the environment we all must share.

Energy-Efficient Field Lighting

About Jeff Rogers:

Musco Lighting's Light-Structure Green, outdoor sports lighting for recreation and athletic facilities. (Coutesty Musco Lighting)

Jeff Rogers, Vice President of Sales, started at Musco Lighting in 1983 installing projects. Throughout his career at Musco, Jeff has worked in many different areas of the sales division and has traveled to countries all over the world. Jeff has been involved in lighting such projects as NASCAR tracks, MLB Stadiums, NFL Stadiums and the Olympics, and remains an intricate part of the developmental sales process.

How was Green Generation Lighting® developed?

Green Generation Lighting, the newest technology in sports lighting, is the result of 30 years of experience, thousands of field inspections, and more than a dozen inventions and innovations from more than 10 million dollars of research and capital investment by Musco.

How is Green Generation Lighting® different from other sports field lighting?

Light-Structure GreenTM is a major innovation in the control of light. When compared to Musco's prior industry leading technology, Light-Structure Green cuts operating costs in half and reduces light spill onto adjacent property is by 50%. 100% of maintenance costs are eliminated for 25 years with Musco's Constant 25™ standard product assurance and service warranty. Plus, Light-Structure Green provides guaranteed, constant light on the field.

How does spill light affect energy consumption?

With the improved photometrics and design of Green Generation Lighting, more of the light that otherwise would fall outside the boundaries of the field, is redirected onto the field, providing more light on the playing surface and less wasted light in neighbors yard and the night sky. Fewer fixtures are needed to provide the desired light on the field.

What is Musco's Constant 25 product assurance and warranty program?

Constant 25 is a comprehensive foundation-to-pole top warranty and maintenance program which covers 100% of your maintenance costs, including parts and labor, for the next 25 years. Guaranteeing light levels, group lamp replacement, system monitoring, routine/spot maintenance, and on/off control services. This unprecedented program reflects our confidence in the quality of our product and the exclusive service that our Lighting provides to our customers.

What is Control-Link®, and how does it affect energy consumption?

Control-Link is a facility management tool. Schedules are entered into the Control-Link system, allowing lights to automatically turn on and off as needed; this adds to the Green Generation energy saving by eliminating lights being left on when the field is not in use. Control-Link provides convenience with remotely monitoring fixture outages, reporting by field usage by facility or user groups, and a reliable web-based lighting and facility management system supported 24/7 by trained staff.

What is the average energy savings for a typical youth baseball field?

A typical, 200 foot baseball field will use field lights approximately 350 hours per year. Assuming an electrical rate of 9¢ per kwh and using Green Generation Lighting teamed with Control-Link, saves on average $25,995 in energy over 25 years compared to prior technology lighting designed for the same light level. This savings would be enough to purchase roughly 1000 youth baseball uniforms or pay the registration for approximately 500 Little Leaguers.

Case Studies - See how Musco helped these BTF recipients save energy, money and the world:

     • Dunmore Little League
     • Bayonne Little League