Produce grown at Safeco Field Urban Garden will augment ballpark menu

SEATTLE, WA, and WYANDOTTE, MI, April, 26, 2016 – Tucked behind the centerfield wall at Safeco Field, home of the Seattle Mariners, is a new urban garden made possible through a collaboration between the Mariners, Cedar Grove Compost, and BASF, both longtime Mariners corporate partners.

The garden is located at the base of the Batter’s Eye behind the outfield wall in centerfield. Planted and maintained by Seattle Urban Farm Company, a local business that blends sustainable farming principles with ecological landscape to create unique, productive outdoor spaces, will use sustainable practices such as water-saving drip irrigation, and organic products and nutrient-rich compost from Cedar Grove.

Prepared in late March, the 450-square foot raised bed contains Cedar Grove Booster Blend organic compost, manure and potting mix to improve the existing soil, and includes hardy plants such as head lettuce, Swiss chard, radishes, and mixed salad greens. Later plantings will include a variety of warm weather loving sweet and hot peppers, herbs, Roma tomatoes, and cucumbers. Centerplate, the Mariners concessions partner at Safeco Field, will incorporate the fresh produce into menu items for the Hit It Here Café, Edgar’s Cantina, and Edgar’s Tacos throughout the baseball season.

“This garden brings the Mariners’ organics recycling program full circle,” said Karen Dawson, Director of Community Relations, Cedar Grove. “Using compost, manufactured by Cedar Grove in part from food scraps collected at Safeco Field, to grow vegetables at the ballpark for fan consumption.”

Safeco Field has been recycling compostables since 2007, resulting in the diversion of 9.4 million pounds of food and yard waste from the landfill. Cedar Grove transforms food scraps and grass clippings, mingled with organic matter collected from businesses, restaurants, and homeowners across the greater Seattle area, into compost sought after by gardeners across the Northwest. The 5,000 fans leaving the April 26 Mariners vs. Houston Astros game will receive a nine-quart bag of official Urban Garden soil, courtesy of Cedar Grove Compost.

In 2011, BASF became the Mariners founding sustainability partner, supporting Safeco Field’s waste diversion program by encouraging fans to compost and recycle. Organic waste bags made of BASF’s certified compostable polymer, ecovio^®, make organic waste collection cleaner, safer, and easier.

“This unique partnership demonstrates an innovative solution for urban growth through a closed loop system,” said Charlene Wall-Warren, Director of Sustainability, BASF. “When fans visit the stadium, they can see first-hand how BASF technologies contribute to sustainability.”

“Over the years, BASF has been a key partner in our efforts to make Safeco Field one of the most sustainably operated professional sports facilities in the world,” said Joe Myhra, Seattle Mariners Vice President of Ballpark Operations. “And with Cedar Grove’s help, we are completing the loop of responsible recycling practices by turning waste into a product that is used here at Safeco Field, as wells as around the greater Puget Sound area.”

Safeco Field Sustainability

Safeco Field is one of the most sustainably operated facilities in the world. Almost 87% of all waste generated at the ballpark was recycled or composted last year, diverting almost 3,000,000 pounds of recyclable material from the waste stream.

Every year since 2010, the Mariners have been honored by Major League Baseball as American League Recycling Champions.

Additionally, Safeco Field has the lowest “energy intensity” of any ballpark in Major League Baseball. Energy intensity is a measure of a facility’s energy efficiency. In 2015, the Mariners became the first MLB team to install LED lights to illuminate the playing field. The LED lights use 60%-70% less energy than old-technology metal halide lamps.

About Cedar Grove Composting

Cedar Grove Composting is a local, family-owned business with deep roots in the Seattle area dating back to 1938. Cedar Grove plays a critical role in the Puget Sound’s recycling infrastructure and sustainability efforts, diverting more than 350,000 tons of yard waste and food scraps from landfills annually. With two processing facilities in Maple Valley and Everett, Cedar Grove is a local manufacturer providing green jobs in King and Snohomish Counties. Cedar Grove produces wholesome, nutrient-rich compost that is sold to businesses, governments and residents, ensuring consumers have access to locally produced, recycled products. For more information, please visit www.cedar-grove.com.

About BASF

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has nearly 17,500 employees in North America, and had sales of $17.4 billion in 2015. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.us.
 
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 112,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into five segments: Chemicals, Performance Products, Functional Materials & Solutions, Agricultural Solutions and Oil & Gas. BASF generated sales of more than €70 billion in 2015. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information at www.basf.com.

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