Arbutus Ridge Golf Club Announces "Greening Initiatives"
2nd June, 2008
Arbutus Ridge Golf Club (ARGC) continues its commitment to
environmentally sustainable practices, and socially responsible
management with the following key initiatives:
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Receiving Certification in Environmental Planning from the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses (ACSP), April 2008.
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Formation of a staff “Greening Committee.”
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Becoming one of only five golf courses in Canada to officially measure their Carbon Footprint.
The Audubon Certificate in Environmental Planning has been over
a year in the making, and is the first step in a much larger plan
to achieve a Designation in Environmental Planning. Only
seven golf courses in BC have achieved this Designation to date. By
joining and participating in the ACSP, Arbutus Ridge Golf Club will
be involved in projects that enhance habitat for wildlife and
preserve natural resources for the benefit of the local
community. These projects may include: placing nesting
boxes for cavity-nesting birds such as bluebirds and swallows,
utilizing integrated pest management techniques, conserving water,
and maintaining food and cover for wildlife.
The ARGC Greening Committee’s Mission Statement is
to help Arbutus Ridge manage its business in a way that will
minimize the associated environmental impacts. Engage & educate
all team members and the local community about sustainability at
work and home. Measure our environmental performance and be seen as
the leaders in the industry. The committee consists of a
voluntary group of eight staff who are passionate about the issue
and the General Manager. A sample of current initiatives include
reducing paper waste by reusing single sided paper, scanning rather
than printing, use of the company intranet to distribute
information, and using the low-ink setting on
copiers. The use of bio-degradable garbage bags and
switching to oxygenic and enzyme-based cleaning products are other
recent initiatives. The committee has done an inventory of what
Arbutus Ridge is currently doing that is environmentally minded and
are working on a list of new prioritized ideas.
The
Satellite Bar and Grille at Arbutus Ridge also employs many
environmentally friendly practices. They are proud to
use only trans fat free 100% vegetable oil for frying and all used
oil is donated to the Cowichan Bio-Diesel
Cooperative. The reduction of paper napkins and to-go
coffee cups, composting off-site, and purchasing local food when
possible are other examples. “We are fortunate to have
a team that is passionate about reducing our environmental
footprint. The committee has strong support from owners and
management, which really adds value to the workplace.
It’s very motivational and certainly aligns with my
personal belief system” said Jason Lowe, General
Manager at Arbutus Ridge Golf Club.
Arbutus Ridge is one of only five courses across Canada that
have registered to measure their Carbon Footprint through a
partnership with the National Golf Course Owner’s
Association (NGCOA) using the GHG Par “0”
program. “Undertaking the process of
measuring our Carbon Footprint with this pilot project will allow
us to understand exactly what our impact is, and help identify ways
of reducing it. We are proud to be the pioneers in the golf
industry” said Lowe.
Arbutus Ridge Golf Club, located in the seaside community of
Cobble Hill within the Cowichan Valley, was voted the Best
Destination Golf Course in British Columbia by readers of Golf
Nerve Magazine in 2006 and is owned & operated by the GolfBC Group. More information is available at www.arbutusridgegolf.com.
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