Carbon Footprinting
GRG has partnered with Dr. Stuart Cohen, president of Environment & Turf Services, to create our own joint-program called CARBONSAVE© for golf. His firm is the leading authority on the assessment and management of environmental impacts by golf courses (www.environmentalandturf.com).
Our research suggests that over 60% of a course's footprint can be attributed to energy use. The next largest contributor is fertilizer and chemical use. Fortunately, golf course turf grass contains carbon sequestrating abilities which benefit our environment by remov- ing potential harmful greenhouse gasses from the air. Many believe that sequestration can be securitized as carbon credits and one day sold on a carbon market. By determining which areas of your operations are emitting the most carbon and then quantifying the spaces that sequester carbon, we are able to arrive at a carbon footprint. From there, we can then determine the most effective points of action your course can take to reduce your carbon footprint and save (in some cases, perhaps make) money.
Our Process
To perform a carbon footprint analysis, we look at all carbon emitting processes at your club including energy, water, and fuel use. We also examine what type of fertilizer and chemicals you use, the commute time of your employees, mileage of maintenance equipment, and the delivery distances of products to and from the facility, including Fed Ex shipments. Our analysis incorporates industry-accepted research of carbon producing processes in the manufacture and distribution of golf facility-related products and utility services.
Our analysis also incorporates national research verifying that golf courses provide an environment whereby carbon is sequestered via plant growth, increases in soil organic carbon and root zone mass, and thatch production. This carbon sequestration mitigates carbon emissions from the use of pesticides, fuel, energy, etc. We perform an in-depth analysis on your planting palette and soil type to determine your course’s sequestration ability. We also provide a complete as-built based on aerial photography which gives a breakdown of total acreages of managed turf, native grasses, trees and shrubs. These areas provide the carbon sequestratration that offsets a facility's total emissions. These two bottom-line numbers allow us to arrive at a carbon footprint number.
Free Download
New Release! The U.S. golf industry's first carbon footprint calculator that any golf course can use. Be the first to understand the full footprint of your facility.
Featured Case Study
Carbon Footprinting Project:
Nantucket Golf Club
Learn More
Key Benefits
- Join the growing network of golf facilities that are calculating their footprint, determining their sequestration potential and combining their knowledge to help lead the way in showing how golf development can have a positive effect on our environment.
- Understand where to focus your efforts when looking to reduce your overall use.
- Be the first to sell your carbon credits when it makes financial sense to do so.