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By Gus Saltonstall
With the New York Mets and Yankees struggling all season, and Aaron Rodgers hurt in his Jets debut, local sports fans haven’t had much to cheer about in recent months.
But New York City Councilmember Shaun Abreu, who represents the majority of the Upper West Side above 96th Street, is looking to create an alternative kind of sporting excitement. On Thursday, he introduced a bill to allow New Yorkers to bring reusable water containers into sports venues within the five boroughs.
The majority of New York City arenas and stadiums forbid fans from entering with any sort of reusable water bottle, which leads to an “unnecessary build-up of waste from plastic cups,” Abreu said, in a press release. Under his bill, venues could still require containers to be empty upon entry.
“This is our chance to step up to the plate and ensure that major sports venues that serve hundreds of thousands of fans are doing their part to reduce waste and encourage environmentally-conscious behaviors,” Abreu added. “This legislation is good for the fans and good for our planet.”