Dr. James Baird investigates how different turfgrasses sequester carbon: http://turf.lib.msu.edu/gsr/article/baird-researching-9-9-11.pdf.
Something that more people should pay attention to: the relationship between water and energy. Scientific American takes a look: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-saving-energy-means-cons...
Great article about the state of environmental certification programs for golf.
As the industry pushes for greater environmental and economic sustainability, operators debate the value and effectiveness of certification programs. At first, there was skepticism. Then came cheers. Now, the pendulum isn’t quite sure which way to swing.
Read the full article at golfbusiness.com
THE GOLF RESOURCE GROUP EXPANDING, NOW OFFERING GEO CERTIFICATION
June 22, 2011 -- The Phoenix, Arizona-based Golf Resource Group (GRG), North America’s leading firm for sustainable golf course design and operations consulting, has announced their endorsement of the GEO certification process. Partnering throughout the industry to establish golf’s sustainability mission and inspire progress, Golf Environment Organization (GEO) provides streamlined guidance and practical tools across the areas of management, development, and events. GEO’s certification programs are the most credible, comprehensive eco-labels available for existing golf facilities and new developments.
“We saw the GEO certification process as a natural progression to what we’ve been doing in the golf industry for the past nine years. GEO’s philosophy on sustainability very much matches up with the philosophy we’ve developed over the years so we saw this as an opportunity to provide even more value to the courses who consult with us,” explained Andy Staples, ASGCA Associate, a golf course architect and president of GRG.
GRG now offers courses guidance with the GEO certification process in addition to offering resource management planning and golf design services. Staples and GRG have worked with over 100 courses throughout the US and are in the process of expanding services to the international market. Past projects include a new 27-hole design project for Sand Hollow Golf Resort in St. George, Utah, energy management planning at Desert Mountain Golf Course in Scottsdale, Arizona, and a resource management and turf reduction plan for Northridge Country Club in Sacramento, CA.
The work pertaining to GEO certification will be conducted in partnership with Scott Morrison, the pioneer of the GEO process in North America who now advises multiple clubs in Canada and the US. Morrison was responsible for the verification process of Mirimichi Golf Course in Millington, TN, the first fully GEO certified course in the US. He will lend his experience to GRG as a leading environmental consultant in the golf industry through his work as founder of Turf Hugger and Out on a Limb Golf.
"There so much talk about sustainability these days, that I sure hope the meaning behind the word doesn't get washed out and become meaningless," Staples continues. "We're hoping to do our part to make sure that doesn't happen."
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About The Golf Resource Group
The Golf Resource Group, established in 2002, is a golf course design and development consultancy with contracts for implementing and sustaining efficient design and management practices on golf courses in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Nevada and Washington.
Andy Staples, ASGCA Associate and President of GRG, has designed, built, managed or consulted on over 125 golf course projects throughout the world. He has served on the Environmental Institute for Golf's Energy Conservation BMP Committee and is considered a leading expert in sustainable golf course architecture including all areas related to resource management. Visit www.thegolfresourcegroup.com for more details.
Here's a great quote from a very good interview with Charles Fishman, author of "The Big Thirst":
..."In the U.S., we spend $21 billion a year buying bottled water, and we spend $29 billion a year maintaining the entire water system — pipes, treatment plants, pumps. We spend almost as much on crushable plastic bottles of water as we do maintaining the water system."
To listen to the interview click on this link:
http://www.npr.org/2011/04/11/135241362/the-worldwide-thirst-for-clean-drinki...
andy staples, asgca associate
c. 480-206-1134
"Whether proponents realize it or not, any plan to switch from gasoline to electricity or biofuels is a strategic decision to switch our dependence from foreign oil to domestic water." -Michael Webber, Scientific American October 2008
What's keeping golf architects busy these days? All things sustainable, I hope. I know that those of us that are staying busy are using the knowledge of how to build smarter golf to sustain ourselves. Personally, I'm in the midst of planning a bunker renovation with new irrigation system, implementing a turf reduction plan with a solar energy field, energy efficiency consulting to another 27 hole development, and designing a comprehensive resource management plan for 10 courses in Northern California. It is now official, 2010 will be a much better year than 2009.
As 2009 comes to a close, news of Tiger Woods's infidelities and worldwide climate change policy in Copenhagen dominate the news cycle. How fitting that these two stories will help usher in a new year and indeed a new decade in the world of golf.
