The Golf Ecosystem™ applies "state-of-the-science" technology and management experience to maximize the economic and ecological performance of the entire golfing complex, while minimizing its operational footprint and reducing potential environmental liabilities.
The Golf Ecosystem services increase the social-economic value of golf courses, associated recreational facilities, and support infrastructure.
Golf Course Carbon:
The Golf Ecosystem™ emphasizes a carbon-based approach in evaluating risks and benefits afforded by the operation of golf course ecosystems. The undeniable importance of excess carbon dioxide as it affects climate validates carbon as the relevant metric of necessity for 21st century environmental assessments and evaluations of economic performance.
The Golf Ecosystem recognizes carbon is the metric of choice for two reasons:
One, carbon is a fundamental biological and ecological currency. Managed turfgrass and other vegetation in golf ecosystems directly remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. As this carbon moves through complex golf ecosystem food webs, some of is sequestered in soils and vegetation for years. Some of the photosynthetically fixed carbon returns to the atmosphere via respiration by plants, animals, and microbes.
Two, sequestered carbon is a fungible commodity. With the increasing activity of carbon trading in international markets, carbon credits have been steadily increasing in monetary value. Golf course ecosystems can generate carbon credits through effective management - that is, by managing turfgrass and other vegetation to increase carbon sequestration, and by managing support facilities to reduce equivalent carbon emissions.
Each net metric ton of carbon dioxide sequestered annually by the golf ecosystem constitutes one carbon credit. Each carbon credit can be converted to cash. Golf Course Carbon Credit Account™:
The Golf Ecosystem uses state-of-the-science, industry recognized methods to determine the number of carbon credits generated by your golf course ecosystem. Our determinations are independently checked by third party organizations that are not invested in the golfing industry and that are neutral to carbon credit trading. This policy adopted by The Golf Ecosystem is requisite to legitimate carbon accounting and associated sale of carbon credits. Certificates designating the number of carbon credits as verified by the independent organizations will be provided to our golf ecosystem clients by The Golf Ecosystem.
The Golf Ecosystem maintains a data base of the number of certified carbon credits generated by your golf ecosystem and by the other facilities that enlist our services. Participants wishing to remain anonymous are listed by code in the data base. The code is secured by The Golf Ecosystem. In this way, the overall contribution of the golfing industry to global carbon management can be quantified. Individual facilities that are outstanding in their carbon credit accounts can be showcased, if expressly desired, with the support of The Golf Ecosystem.
Choose to enter your facility's carbon credits in the Golf Course: Carbon Credit Account™!
Golf Course Carbon Credit Bank™
The Golf Ecosystem manages carbon credit trading through its Golf Course Carbon Credit Bank™ (the Bank). The Bank account is managed using the services of a major investment institution recognized internationally by members of the golfing industry.
Clients of The Golf Ecosystem with carbon credits listed in the the Golf Course Carbon Credit Account™ can use the Bank in two ways:
One, the client can simply sell its credits on the international market through the Bank and The Golf Ecosystem will remit payment to the client. The sold credits will be removed from the Golf Course Carbon Credit Account™. The client can deposit new credits as they accrue.
Two, the client can donate its credits to the Bank. Clients are advised to check with their accountants concerning tax reductions for these donations. The accumulated donated credits are used to establish equity for low-interest loans to requesting golf course ecosystems via proposals to the Bank. The loan requirements are that loans be repaid and that the loaned money can only be used to further reduce the carbon-based operational footprint for the requesting facility.
The Golf Ecosystem advises, Donate your carbon credits to the Golf Course Carbon Credit Bank™!
Our experience suggests that the monetary value of credits established by individual golf ecosystems might not be substantial - perhaps a few hundred dollars annually. However, depending on participation by the 15,000+ golf ecosystems in the US alone, the Bank account could grow to several hundred million dollars. Providing low-interest loans to deserving proposers generates a positive feedback mechanism that can further accelerate the growth of the Bank. Loans are repaid with interest which increases the Bank account. The associated footprint reductions generate additional carbon credits that can also increase the account and provide for even more future loans.
The important result is an ever-increasing source of funding to sustain the ever-improving environmental and bottom-line performance of participating golf course ecosystems...truly a win-win situation for the golfing industry! So, reduce your footprint, donate your carbon credits, and help sustain the industry. The Golf Ecosystem stands ready to help.
Operational Footprint:
The Golf Ecosystem™ will determine the size of your facility's current operational footprint. This footprint represents a comprehensive quantitative evaluation of the environmental risks and benefits associated with all aspects of operating and maintaining your facility.
The golf ecosystem advanced common practices in footprint characterization by innovating and working within a carbon-accounting approach to footprint size.
The golf ecosystem's comprehensive facility management program for golf can be used to reduce the size of your facility footprint to desired, realistic, and achievable specifications.
The golf ecosystem's operational footprint assesses the net equivalent carbon emissions of
- Water use
- Energy use, efficiency
- Chemical budgets (agro, industrial, and domestic chemicals)
- Solid and liquid wastes
- Sediment runoff, erosion
- Ecosystem energetics
- Ecosystem goods and services
specific to the conditions, operations, and infrastructure of your golf course ecosystem.
The Golf Ecosystem's Operational Footprint will provide you with a state-of-the-science assessment of the overall risks and benefits, both environmental and socio-economic, associated with the operations of your golf ecosystem - evaluated in equivalent net tons of carbon emitted each year.
The transparency of The Golf Ecosystem's footprint calculations will pinpoint opportunities to reduce the size of your footprint and correspondingly decrease the net carbon emissions for each of the facilities that make up your golf ecosystem. Take advantage of our Comprehensive Facility Management services to help reduce your footprint size, reduce carbon emissions, and secure credit for these reductions through our Golf Course Carbon Credit Account.
Your carbon credits can be sold on the international carbon credit market! |
