While the Pittsburgh Pirates' quest to field a winning team is a never-ending ongoing endeavor, their plans for PNC Park and making it more sustainable are well underway and show promise. The man we love to fret about, Bob Nutting, the Chairman and CEO of Pittsburgh Pirates, revealed this at the recent CEOs for Sustainability event. 

The strategic developments for the PNC ballpark over the next 10 years will be led by pioneers of the green-sports movement. Captain of the perennial shipwreck, Bob Nutting, and his team have roped in an independent consultant, a true all-star in sustainability, Allen Hershkowitz, for the job. 

This Green Guru has been a senior scientist at the National Resources Defense Council for a good part of three decades and has done wonders to promote eco-friendly programs across the MLB, NBA, NHL, and even with the New York Yankees. This guy brings a big bat to help steer the Pirates toward a more eco-friendly future. 

Besides being an eco-warrior, the big plan also includes enhancing the fan experience at PNC Park. So you might ask what changes we can anticipate. Well, that's still in the works, but don't worry, we’ll know soon enough. But, it certainly will build upon recent improvements like the Riverwalk and other exciting fan enhancements. However, Allen's experience with European soccer leagues, known for their advanced sustainability practices, might give us a hint of where this is headed. 

Bob's commitment to the environment is not new and while he commits a lot of forced errors in building a competitive baseball team, he should get some credit for his stewardship in sustainable initiatives for PNC Park. 

Nutting initiated a program to recycle 1.2 million cans and bottles, reduced ballpark waste by 70%, and earned recognition from the NRDC and the Sports Business Journal for their efforts. 

To put it in perspective, the Pirates have recycled 18 million bottles and cans in the last 18 years. That's a line of cans from PNC Park to their spring training facility in Florida and back, noted Pittsburgh Business Times reporter, Paul J. Gough, in a recent article on the PBT about PNC Park's strategic plan. 

Now then, we can only wonder how the plan to field a competitive baseball team in our collective lifetimes is coming along. Looks like we will have to wait on that one. 

So while our hopes for winning baseball are still a dream, we can at least raise the Jolly Roger on a more sustainable future for PNC Park.