AT&T Park’s garlic fries stand goes green
By: Juliana Bunim and Will Reisman
San Francisco Examiner
April 2, 2009
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| Going green: The Gilroy Garlic Fries stand at AT&T Park has been turned into the ballpark’s first sustainable concession stand. (Cindy Chew/The Examiner) |
SAN FRANCISCO — When the Giants kick off their season on April 7, one concession stand in AT&T Park will be as green as the grass on the field.
Continuing in their attempt to become the “greenest ballpark in the majors,” the Giants announced a slew of new environmental initiatives at their annual media day on Wednesday, beginning with sustainable practices related to the park’s beloved garlic fries.
Since last season, the team has completely retrofitted the Gilroy Garlic Fries stand on the promenade level of AT&T Park, making the vendor a paragon of environmental efficiency, according to Giants president Larry Baer.
Gas consumption on the fryers has been reduced by 32 percent by the upgrades. An improved cooler system saves up to 35 percent more energy, new light fixtures at the stand help conserve 36 percent more electricity, and the bright green paint that adorns the exterior of the outlet is made up of 100 percent biodegradable products, Baer said.
The improvements to the concession stand — part of a joint effort between the Giants, Pacific Gas and Electric, Coca-Cola and EcoSignWorks — were designed to make it completely self-sustainable, according to a release by the team.
“Even the rollers that turn over the hot dogs are now energy efficient,” said PG&E spokesman Joe Molica.
Fans will see an immediate benefit from the upgrades: The new stand will save enough energy to cook up an additional 110 tons of garlic fries.
Along with their state-of-the-art garlic-fry stand, the Giants created a “green team” comprised of designated employees who will help pick up trash during games. The team also added 25 new recycling bins at the stadium.
In 2007, the Giants became the first Major League Baseball team to install solar paneling, which has since helped prevent the generation of 360,000 pounds of greenhouse gases, according to the team.
The Giants will host the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday at 1:05 p.m. at AT&T Park, the team’s 10th season at the China Basin facility.
