Driving for Sustainability - SRUC
Driving for Sustainability - SRUC
In November 2018, Elmwood was assessed for the Golf Environment Organisation (GEO) Eco Mark, the gold standard for sustainable golf courses globally. Elmwood has passed the assessment with flying colours. GEO certification manager Richard Allison congratulated the course on a job well done:
“We are delighted to see Elmwood Golf Course certified for the third time, one of only a handful of facilities worldwide, and building on its position as a sustainability leader in Scotland. Continuing to improve, adapt and find new ways to benefit the local environment and community is a testament to Greg and the team and we congratulate everyone at Elmwood on this achievement.”
Participating courses must demonstrate their performance on three key themes of sustainability: nature, resources and community. The applicants then participate in an audit by a GEO assessor, delving deeper into their work and looking for examples at the site. Responsible for setting environmental objectives and implementing ideas is the golf course’s cross-department ‘Green Team’.
Initiatives this year include the discontinuation of single use condiments, encouraging visitors to use reusable cups and the introduction of compostable takeaway containers. The kitchen team have reduced their carbon footprint by reducing the number of orders and purchasing and where possible using local suppliers.
Greg Kilgour, Golf Course Manager is delighted with the efforts of the team, “Achieving the Golf Environment Organisation award brings to a close a very successful year for Elmwood Golf Course, where our commitment to sustainability and the embedding of it into our taught curriculums has been recognised by external verification both from GEO and British Standards Institution (BSI).”
All Green Team members have each attended the Resource Efficient Scotland (RES) ‘Green Champions’ training. Greg Kilgour has worked closely with RES, being asked to present at RES events as an authority of sustainably managed golf courses. Environment Officer, Kate Thornback, who left SRUC on 15 February 2019, offers her thanks to the staff at the course:
“The leadership from Greg Kilgour and Steve Johnstone has proved the ideal springboard for engagement throughout all levels and functions of the staff body. They truly deserve their reputation as one of the leading holistically managed courses in Scotland. I wish everyone at the course all the best with their future activities”.
Picture from left to right: at the back are Ryan Stenhouse, Lucy Archibald and Dan Lang, Steve Johnstone. In the front row are Mark Hood, Stuart Pearson, Holly Scott and Greg Kilmour.
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