On April 12 Anheuser-Busch unveiled yet another ‘Major League’ sustainability effort, this time with game day waste in mind.

As one of the country’s largest sponsors of live sports, Anheuser-Busch is uniting its sports team partners to launch the National Recycling League: a new, multi-sports league coalition aiming to reduce waste on game day.

The National Recycling League will leverage the scale and reach of the brewer’s professional sports team and league partners to encourage recycling on game day and beyond.

The National Recycling League aims to create meaningful connections between Anheuser-Busch’s brands including Budweiser, Bud Light and Michelob ULTRA, its league and team partners, and sports fans nationwide to raise awareness of the need for recycling among beer fans whether it’s in-stadium, at home, or at a neighborhood bar.

(Courtesy Anheuser-Busch)

“At Anheuser-Busch, we approach everything we do – including sustainability – with an innovation mindset,” said Brendan Whitworth, CEO of Anheuser-Busch. “Through the National Recycling League, we will bring together our team partners and sports fans to work towards a shared dream of a future with less game day waste and more cheers.”

With Major League Baseball season now officially ON, more than ten teams, including the St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, and Washington Nationals – have signed on as inaugural members of the National Recycling League.

Each team has committed to adopting and implementing a range of new, innovative National Recycling League actiions aimed at reducing waste and improving recycling rates at stadiums to help divert recyclable materials such as beer bottles and cans from landfills. Things like offering infinitely recyclable aluminum cups to fans instead of single-use plastic as aluminum can be recycled over and over again without losing its quality, and in-stadium signage encouraging everyone to ‘Recycle Like a Champion.’

“Major League Baseball is excited to collaborate with Anheuser-Busch on the launch of their National Recycling League initiative,” said Paul Hanlon, Senior Director of Ballpark Operations and Sustainability, Major League Baseball. This commitment to environmental stewardship by our long-term partner perfectly aligns with our continued efforts to bring more recycling options and sustainable practices to our ballparks,”

But that’s not all…

Throughout regular season games, teams will compete head-to-head in a call for everybody to recycle their game day bottles and cans, with the winning city getting a round of beer on Anheuser-Busch.

The city of the participating team which has the highest recycling rate during home games from Opening Day through May 31 will get a round of beer on Anheuser-Busch.

And Anheuser-Busch plans to work alongside teams across the National Football League to enlist them to participate in the National Recycling League as the 2022 NFL season kicks off.

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We can get snarky about the big beer conglomerates here at American Craft Beer. So it’s only fair that we applaud companies like Anheuser-Busch when they adopt sustainability strategies that could make for a better world!

And here’s some more of what the world’s largest brewing company has been doing…

ANHEUSER-BUSCH COMMITS TO SUSTAINABLE RICE PRODUCTION

ANHEUSER-BUSCH COMMITS TO A ZERO EMISSION TRUCK FLEET BY 2025

ANHEUSER-BUSCH US BEERS NOW BREWED WITH 100% WIND AND SOLAR POWER

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