My parents are in the process of purchasing a golf course. My roommate told me that golf courses are extremely unsustainable, horrible for the environment and hopefully, through environmental policies, will die out.
I know there are some obvious environmental implications with golf courses, but overall I don’t think they are that bad for the environment (if ran correctly). I am a student studying Geography & Environment, but I still wanted some insight on this subject.
Thanks in advance!
Only grass and desired grass will grow. It is kept that way through herbicides and pesticides. All that drains into the waterways.
It’s known as monoculture and constant small 2-4cycle engine use emitting greenhouse gases that are depleting the ozone layer are used for maintenance. Bees, the basis of our food, are deprived of an uncontaminated source.
It’s called Human impact on a once naturally sustainable environment. No trees where the fairways are which means no pollution filtration and insufficient CO 2 (oxygen) production that supports and enhances life.
But they’re good investments due to the older demographic of the aging boomers with money and time to exercise in a leisurely, socially acceptable occupation.
skyalert
January 28th, 2010 at 5:25 am
Only grass and desired grass will grow. It is kept that way through herbicides and pesticides. All that drains into the waterways.
It’s known as monoculture and constant small 2-4cycle engine use emitting greenhouse gases that are depleting the ozone layer are used for maintenance. Bees, the basis of our food, are deprived of an uncontaminated source.
It’s called Human impact on a once naturally sustainable environment. No trees where the fairways are which means no pollution filtration and insufficient CO 2 (oxygen) production that supports and enhances life.
But they’re good investments due to the older demographic of the aging boomers with money and time to exercise in a leisurely, socially acceptable occupation.
References :
The Thinking Man’s Future can be sustainable.
Martin
January 28th, 2010 at 5:56 am
I live in Texas and the local golf courses require lots of water to maintain their beautiful green grass but one way that they have started being more eco friendly and reducing water consumption is to use companies such as Green Earth Lawn Painters;
http://www.greenearthlawnpainters.com/
The idea is that during the winter when the grass turns brown and lays dormant that they come in and literally paint the grass green. They use a 100% non toxic natural colorant and it means the course owners don’t have to use so much water in the winter months.
Check out our review here;
http://www.oureverydayearth.com/2009/06/18/green-grass-leaves-all-year-long/
Some other ways that you could make your golf course greener;
1/ Golf courses could make great use of geothermal heating / cooling for the club house given that there is lots of land to play with and usually ponds / lakes to use as a large heat sink
2/ You could setup lots of rain water collection barrels throughout the course to store rain water for watering the greens etc.
3/ The club house could probably have a large array of solar panels fitted to reduce or even eliminate your electric bills.
References :
http://www.greenearthlawnpainters.com/
http://www.oureverydayearth.com/2009/06/18/green-grass-leaves-all-year-long/
sweet
January 28th, 2010 at 6:35 am
Only grass and desired grass will grow. It is kept that way through herbicides and pesticides. All that drains into the waterways.
References :