Yes, it’s that time of the year again. Baseball season is starting, and the Red Sox are kicking it off against the Yankees on Sunday, April 4 at 8:05pm. You know what this means? The Red Sox Green Team is also starting up again, and Boston University is participating for the third year in a row.
For those of you who don’t know, the Red Sox have implemented a recycling program called the Red Sox Green Team at Fenway Park in the last few years in order to help the environment. Different schools and organizations are able to participate in this program, and are consequently assigned certain games to volunteer at. In the past, Boston University has been assigned approximately three games every month, accepting 30-50 volunteers per game.
The responsibilities of the volunteers are simple. After signing up for one of Boston University’s designated Green Team games on the BU Red Sox Green Team website, all volunteers are required to show up one hour before the game and check in with the Boston University team captain to receive a Fenway Park Green Team volunteer pass, along with a free Green Team t-shirt and free food voucher. You will then be assigned a certain section of the park, where you will be able to stand, watch the game for free, and pick up recycling in between innings. Fenway will supply recycling bags and gloves for you—you just need to be on the lookout for beer bottles and soda bottles. After the 7th inning, your job is done, and you are free to just watch the rest of the game.
I personally have been a Green Team participant since Boston University started participating in the program, and I have loved every minute of it, volunteering at more than 10 games. I have also been the recruiter for many of my friends, who have also had a great time. Along with the obvious perk of a free Red Sox game, I think it really gives you an appreciation for recycling. Before I started participating in the Green Team, I barely recycled. Now I criticize people who don’t. Fans at the park are so grateful for the work that we do. I have had people personally come up to me and thank me, or take my picture. They love what we stand for, and so do I.
My friends and I have turned recycling at Fenway into a kind of game: who can fill the most recycling bags. As soon as the inning ends, we run off to an isle yelling, “recycling!” hoping we picked a row with a lot of bottles. During innings we stand up against a wall and cheer with the rest of the Red Sox fans, enjoying the enthusiasm of the park. In the end, we take pride in the work that we have accomplished.
The first game Boston University is participating in this season is Wednesday, April 7th against the Yankees! They are accepting 30 volunteers, so hurry and sign up! The rest of the schedule will be up sometime in the next few days.
If you want to get alerts about other BU Red Sox Green Team opportunities, you can also join the facebook group.
Danielle Chiasson reported on the Facebook group wall, “this was soooo much fun and definitely a great experience. I highly recommend this!! It’s so much fun and you get to see a free sox game…who can go wrong?”
