Global warming and climate change issues became critical topics for discussion for the worldwide community. In fact, many anthropologic activities that influence the environment undergo public scrutiny when the carbon footprint of that process exceeds the established norms. Various types of sports may be one of the contributors to climate change since, on a professional level, athletes require many items, the production of which causes the release of toxic wastes. Thus, many sports are obliged to follow legally established requirements regarding sustainability, placing certain constraints on this global commodity (Orr et al., 2022). For example, in the case of baseball, the effect is bidirectional since global warming may affect the players, and this industry can impact the environment.
Global warming may harm the health and hence athletic performance of baseball players because they primarily play outdoors. Indeed, research shows that excessive heat may cause dehydration in athletes, resulting in a drop in their physical fitness during intense training (Orr et al., 2022). Undoubtedly, the entire baseball industry may produce more significant damage to nature since it requires the production of sportswear and equipment that inevitably leads to carbon dioxide emission into the atmosphere. Therefore, Major League Baseball (MLB) decided to promote sustainability in sports by creating green stadiums (Major League Baseball [MLB], 2019). Furthermore, MLB and other baseball clubs strive to recycle all the waste left after sports events (MLB, 2019). In fact, this sport is one of the most environmentally friendly. Still, an additional initiative that baseball clubs should consider is recycling sports apparel and equipment to produce new items from old ones.
In summary, baseball and climate change have a bidirectional relationship because industry and events produce toxic wastes, and global warming may have a harmful effect on athletes’ performance. Fortunately, since public awareness of this issue has increased significantly, many baseball clubs engage in green activities. Specifically, MLB strives to recycle all waste after all games and promotes sustainable sports in communities. However, they should also consider initiating sportswear recycling programs to further reduce a negative impact on the environment.
References
Major League Baseball. (2019). Major League Baseball and clubs supporting sustainability efforts throughout 2019. Green Sports Alliance. Web.
Orr, M., Inoue, Y., Seymour, R., & Dingle, G. (2022). Impacts of climate change on organized sport: A scoping review. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 1-25. Web.