The Chicago White Sox are embarking on an ambitious new plan to help reduce plastic waste at Guaranteed Rate Field this season.
The Sox announced that they will be teaming up with the Shedd Aquarium to eliminate single-use plastic straws from the ballpark for the rest of the season. According to the team, concession stands at the ballpark will no longer automatically give customers straws, but will provide biodegradable straws to fans upon request, the team said in a press release.
“We are thrilled to team up with Shedd Aquarium and help lead by example in the way of sustainability within our gameday operations,” White Sox Senior VP of Sales and Marketing Brooks Boyer said.
According to the team, the partnership hopes to keep more than 215,000 straws from being used at the ballpark. Straws are nearly impossible to recycle, according to Shedd Aquarium, meaning that every straw used in all of human history still exists in one form or another.
Representatives from the Shedd Aquarium will be at the ballpark on Earth Day when the Sox take on the Astros Sunday.