When I play golf, I always find plastic objets on the golf course.
The picture above shows the number of objects I collected after walking 200 m...
Let's take action together to protect our golf environment!
As a benefit, you will have a great feeling and you will play on clean golf courses.
What you can do to protect the environment on a golf course:
- Put all plastic and wastes in dedicated bins (there are plenty on the course)
- Collect plastic items you find while walking and put them in the bin
- Throw your cigarettes in the sand bins
- If you buy second-hand balls, throw your plastic bag in the bin
- Put your used and damaged tees in the bin (they still have paint on it that can damage the environment)
- Respect the animals: birds, squirrels, ants, fishes, etc
- Respect the young and old trees (even if they grab your balls sometime, they are not your enemy! :) )
- Do not hesitate to explain other golfer why to respect environment is important
Now let's take action a golf course point of view...
What are golf's potential environmental impacts?
- Pollution of ground water and surface water caused by the use of pesticides, fertilizers, and other contaminants
- Poor stream water quality due to eroding shorelines
- Withdrawal of large quantities of water for irrigation
- Degradation or loss of natural areas
- Health hazards from chemical handling and applications
- Negative impacts of chemical use on "non-target" wildlife
- Unsound turf management driven by increasing and unrealistic golfer expectations and demands
"Environmental researchers can't say for sure how long it takes a golf ball to break down, according to the New York Times. But that hasn't stopped them from guessing about the potentially negative ecological impact that the millions of dimpled spheres rotting in ponds, wetlands, and woodlands might produce." See Tiger Woods' wayward golf game may harm the environment but it's a boon for lost-golf-ball business
What are golf's environmental opportunities?
- Provide needed wildlife sanctuaries
- Preserve natural areas within urban environments
- Support plants and wildlife native to the area
- Protect water resources
- Filter stormwater runoff through golf course wetlands and turfgrass
- Rehabilitate degraded landscapes
- Promote physical and mental well being, reducing stress for more than 25 million U.S. golfers
- Improve air quality and moderate temperature
- Educate golfers and the general public about the nature of the game and promote environmentally-sound management
See what St Andrews Old Course is doing for the environment... it is simply amazing!
What are the benefits of environmental performance?
Image and Reputation
Good environmental performance can help you differentiate your course from others in a crowded market and add value by improving public relations and marketing opportunities that attract new golfers or club members.
Customer Satisfaction
The nature of your course can enrich golfers' experience of the game. Surveys have shown that golfers report that playing quality is maintained or even improved as a result of steps taken to manage a course in harmony with the natural environment.
Financial Performance
An effective golf course environmental management program can result in reduced insurance premiums, as well as reduced costs for energy, water, pesticides, or fertilizers.
Worker Safety and Reduced Liability
Best practices for chemical management reduce exposure and liability risks from storing, handling, and applying chemicals.
Improved Efficiency
Sound environmental management cuts down on waste and promotes efficient operations.
See some examples of golf courses who took action to protect the environment and got great results: Ways Golf Courses Can Help Protect the Environment
And last but not least, you could win a golf date with Bill Clinton, help save the environment
Keep Golfing!
Sources:
No comments:
Post a Comment