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In 2005, Major League Baseball partnered with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) on the first league wide greening program in professional sports.  Since the launch of this partnership, nearly all MLB franchises have established numerous ballpark sustainability initiatives. To commemorate the start of the 2012 Major League Baseball season, Wegowise wants to give a tip of the hat to MLB franchises that are taking serious steps to reduce their ecological footprint.  Here’s a sampling of what a few of the most environmentally friendly baseball teams are doing to go green.

There is a growing number of homeowners and even some adventurous apartment-dwellers that compost their food scraps and yard waste.  There are a lot fewer cities and towns that can claim the same.  Some forward thinking locales have started offering municipal composting, with San Francisco and Seattle even going as far as mandating it.  

Whether you want to be a more informed citizen or just want to kill some time before 5 on a Friday afternoon, WegoWise has got you covered. This week we take a look at ways you can make your home (and bike!) green.  So peruse our best links, give us some feedback and be sure to share some of the info you just gleaned with other interested parties at the parties you are hopefully attending this weekend. Brought to you by Dan, Nate, Sean, Lily, Catherine, and Casey.

In a time when environmental consciousness is on everyone's minds, the military is being held accountable for their energy foot print; a challenge the military seems to be taking to heart. Energy efficiency has become a primary focus in the administration of military bases.

The Army's first step towards energy efficiency has been implementing net zero bases, which require that they create as much energy as they use by converting buildings to energy efficient facilities and installing solar energy panels, they have also made strides in reducing their energy consumption over all. One way in which the Army has reduced their energy use is by reducing the number of and changing the type of non-tactical fleet vehicles. In 2011 they reduced their non-tactical fleet by 8,000 vehicles. The Army has the largest non-tactical fleet out of all branches of the government and intends to reduce this portion of their vehicles by 20 to 40 percent over five years. Beyond the reduction in non-tactical fleet vehicles, they are looking at the types of vehicles used in these areas, converting to hybrids, high efficiency vehicles or alternative fuel vehicles where possible. The Army is also researching lighter armor and alternative fuel options for combat vehicles, while still trying to maintain the most safety for our troops.

The Navy has installed smart electricity meters in their barracks, which have tighter security requirements. This meter change has given the Navy an energy savings of 5 percent. In addition to tighter monitoring of their bases' electric usage, the Navy has installed 9 million square feet of installation in their temporary structures, cutting fuel consumption by 77,000 gallons of gasoline per day. The Navy has also taken steps to reduce energy consumption on their ships by converting to energy efficient materials and even hybrid engines, as well as installing stern flaps to decrease drag creating more energy efficient ships.

Energy efficiency is the responsibility of all of us. With the U.S. military's combined numbers it could be called the countries fourth largest city. That makes the U.S. military an important tool in moving forward to a more energy efficient America. The U.S. military seems to be listening and taking this task seriously with the steps it has implemented towards energy efficiency so far.

Native plants and grasses in the place of traditional lawns can save resources, cut landscaping costs and significantly reduce pollution.

The Palace of Versailles.

Whether you want to be a more informed citizen or just want to kill some time before 5 on a Friday afternoon, WegoWise has got you covered. This week we take a look at some new nifty technologies and one old-school throwback.  So peruse our best links, give us some feedback and be sure to share some of the info you just gleaned with other interested parties at the parties you are hopefully attending this weekend. Brought to you by Dan, Nate, Sean, Lily, Catherine, and Casey.

Typically, when people hear that their neighbor wants to install a wind turbine, they shudder as they think of a loud, large, bird-killing machine towering over the trees and obstructing the view from their back porch.  However, this doesn’t have to be the case.  Vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) are a promising solution to moving towards renewable energy in residential areas, be it rural, suburban, or even urban. 

The majority of NFL fans probably attend games to see bone-crushing hits, gun-slinging quarterbacks and one-handed touchdown catches in the corner of the end zone.  However, beneath the surface many teams have high performing pieces that don’t simply include their player personnel.  Franchises across the league are increasingly realizing the benefits of sustainability and many are taking major steps towards greening the NFL.

Whether you want to be a more informed citizen or just want to kill some time before 5 on a Friday afternoon, WegoWise has got you covered. This Friday we're focusing on trends that will help reduce emissions and energy consumption. So peruse our best links, give us some feedback and be sure to share some of the info you just gleaned with other interested parties at the parties you are hopefully attending this weekend. Brought to you by Dan, Nate, Sean and Lily.