Successful Meetings - November 2008 - (Page 40)

Golf Meetings Green Your Golf Green Dream: Mauna Lani Resort on the Big Island of Hawaii Courses launch eco-friendly improvements By Corrie Dosh corrie.dosh@nielsen.com If you’re like most golfers, as you line up your shot on a par 3 and feel the sun on your back and the breeze in your hair, you think how pleasant it is to be in the midst of green, grass-covered fairways lined by oaks and elm trees. Birds flutter overhead, and there may even be some fish in the water hazard. But before you take in a deep breath of fresh air, realize that the setting is not as natural as it looks. The expansive lawn beneath your feet is green thanks to fertilizer and herbicides and an extensive irrigation system that keeps turf vibrant in even the driest weather. Mosquitoes aren’t messing up your putt thanks to pesticides. And that manmade pond is a poor substitute for the wetlands that were filled in to create fairways. For decades golf has been about the least “green” pastime it was possible to enjoy, but now more courses are jumping on the environmental bandwagon, its owners recognizing that there are ways to create a beautiful, professional course that has minimal impact on the natural world around it. Between 1996 and 2007, 96 percent of golf facilities in the United States completed at least one environmental improvement, and 57 percent implemented at least five environmental initiatives, according to the Environmental Institute for Golf, an outreach of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA). The most common measures taken were upgrading irrigation systems and improving chemical storage. Nearly one-quarter of U.S. courses are involved in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary program, which creates wildlife habitats within courses. Nearly NOVEMBER 2008 SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS PHOTO: HAWAII’S BIG ISLAND 40 successfulmeetings.com http://www.successfulmeetings.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Successful Meetings - November 2008

Successful Meetings - November 2008
Editor's Note
Supplier News - Wyndham Worldwide Launches Green Program and Website with a "Global Green Day"
On the Record
Calendar
Supplier News - Oregon Convention Center Earns Silver LEED�Rating
Planner Spotlight
Management Matters
Meetings Law
Mouth for Sale
Websites of the Month
Professional Development - 25 Eco-Friendly Holiday Business Gift Ideas
Pre-Event
Professional Development - The Green Meetings Glossary
Tools of the Trade
On Site
When Red and Blue Make Green
Green Your Golf
Green-Centric Events Have Spice
The Green Continent
Places & Spaces
Las Vegas
South Africa Supplement
Bermuda
Dallas Metroplex
Kansas City / St. Louis
Boston
Gurus
California: New Perspectives

Successful Meetings - November 2008