Today, Major League Baseball and the Natural Resources Defense Council unveiled a new program to green America's Pastime. The effort will provide each team with an individualized "NRDC Team Greening Advisor" for MLB, described as a "a Web-based software tool featuring advice and resources for every aspect of a club's operations." The tool lets a user choose a team and browse a menu of earth-in-mind tips, from old favorites like energy, water, and paper efficiency to more baseball-centric topics like vendors, merchandise and team and fan transport. The page on vendors suggests moving from standards like peanuts and cracker jack to more organic, fair trade, locally-grown snacks. Say goodbye to that chili dog.

Although the site certainly has a lot of useful info, I had trouble finding the "specific local advice" that was promised.

Officials said that the project was the brain child of MLB Commissioner Bud Selig, with the help of Oakland A's co-owner, and NRDC Board Member, Bob Fisher. In the words of Bud: "Baseball is a social institution with social responsibilities, and caring for the environment is inextricably linked to all aspects of our game. Sound environmental practices make sense in every way and protect our natural resources for future generations of baseball fans."

Under development for two years, the project aims to make club practices planet friendly, educate fans, and to encourage teams to build new stadiums to be LEED compliant. "The commitment by our national pastime to enhance its ecological profile in a meaningful and public way marks a watershed in the history of baseball and the environmental movement," said Allen Hershkowitz, senior scientist at NRDC. "No other sporting institution has influenced American culture as much as baseball and the league is once again putting that influence to very good use."

The new Washington Nationals ballpark, set to open in 19 days, is making its pitch for LEED certification, with features like energy efficient field lights, encouragement of fan recycling, and water filtration to prevent further despoiling of the nearby Anacostia River.

NRDC has been busy greening other sports as well, having developed a Greening Advisor tool for the NBA and currently working on one for the NHL.