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Greening the Open by David Lea Oakville Beaver Staff 9 | Wednesday, July 24, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com As 2013 RBC Canadian Open officials drive to make the Glen Abbey Golf Club tournament an event to remember, they are also shooting to make it the greenest Professional Golfer's Association (PGA) contest ever. Environmental sustainability is important to RBC -- something the company wants to be known for -- said Andrew Craig, senior manager of the RBC Corporate Sustainability Group. So RBC is working alongside partners such as Golf Canada, Glen Abbey Golf Club, the Town of Oakville, Halton Region and others, to hold a carbon neutral Open. "Since RBC has been the title sponsor of the Canadian Open, we have been looking at ways to green the event. Every year, we have been building on our programming, getting a little bit better, adding new elements," said Craig. "This year we've really stepped it up... Now, I think we're in a situation where we are pretty comfortable to say this is going to be the greenest Canadian Open we've ever had and it's up there as one of the greenest PGA events on tour." This year's initiatives include buying green power for the tournament from green energy provider Bullfrog Power. This means all the electricity required to run Glen Abbey's club house and other operations, such as the superintendent's facilities, will be offset through purchasing carbonneutral energy from wind turbines, low-im- pact hydro and other green sources. Craig said green natural gas, which comes from methane captured from a landfill, would also be purchased from Bullfrog. "We don't actually have power from wind turbines going into Glen Abbey, but what we do is buy the environmental attributes from Bullfrog power for the green natural gas and the electricity, thus making the electricity and natural gas we use at the event carbon neutral," said Craig. "That green power is just pumped into the grid essentially for all people in Ontario to enjoy." A similar carbon offset purchase arrangement is in place to counter pollution created by the diesel generators, which will provide the electricity used by the hospitality tents and scoreboards during tournament week. Compensation of this type will also make up for the pollution created by the shuttle buses, bringing spectators to and from the golf course throughout the week. "There is a carbon footprint associated with the event and what we are doing is neutralizing those emissions by buying carbon offsets and those would be generated from other places around the world that are reducing carbon. They are selling the carbon reductions that they do to third parties that are interested in neutralizing an event like the RBC Canadian Open," said Craig. "If you can retrofit a coal facility and reduce its emissions, you are benefiting all of society around the world because you are reducing greenhouse gas emissions. What see Canadian on p.11 Water stations will be one of the ways the Canadian Open will be a carbon-neutral event. | photo courtesy RBC The Perfect Dream Kitchen Ope n We E x t e n d / Th d u r s ue d H o u r ntil 8 s pm. NEW ! Should be a Reflection of You. 4265 Fairview Street, Burlington 905.634.9556 (between Walkers & Appleby Line) Other Showrooms: 140 Hester Street, Hamilton 905.667.4710 Applewood Village Plaza, 1077 North Service Road, Mississauga 905.275.9556 emeraldkitchens .ca www.oakville.ca Enhanced Bulk Brush Pick Up to assist with storm clean up Until August 10 TURE LTU N AND CU ION ION TI TIO AT EA CRE S, RECR PARKS, Oakville residents can set out unbundled bulk brush (branches up to 7.5 cm or 3 inches in diameter) on their regular yard waste collection day. Halton Region will be working extended hours into the evening to facilitate picking up the bulk brush. For more details call 311 or visit www.halton.ca Have tree branches or trunks greater than 7.5 cm (3 inches) in diameter? Pile them separately for the Town of Oakville to collect. Contact ServiceOakville at 905-845-6601 or serviceoakville@oakville.ca to request a pick up. The Town of Oakville is continuing its clean-up efforts. To report damage to town trees which have loose or dangling branches or limbs, contact ServiceOakville at 905-845-6601 or serviceoakville@oakville.ca. Pick up your Town of Oakville Parks, Recreation and Culture Guide on July 27! Our fall 2013 / winter 2014 program line-up for all ages and abilities will be available at your fingertips via our interactive online guide or pick up your own copy of the guide at community centres, seniors centres, libraries, pools, arenas and Town Hall after July 27. Registration start dates Residents: August 17, 2013 at 9 a.m. Seniors Services: September 6, 2013 at 9 a.m. For more information visit oakville.ca. Fall 2013 014 Winter 2 Guide I E SUMMIT REACH TH roc cl bing k clim r rock or oo Indo W Ind NE ! C! PCCC at QEPCC wall at p. 37, 51 AT YOUTH BE akv lle ll ill ille O kvi erience Oa Exp tres youth cen p. 41 R? OUT WATE WHAT AB tory exhibit H 2O and His seum e Mu lle kvill at Oakvi p. 132 Residents ­ O LINE R ON ER STE REGIST August 17