Significant Efforts to Drive Greater Community Impact for National Championship, June 13-19
LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. – Golf fans, players, vendors and more from Massachusetts and beyond will take part in delivering the most sustainable U.S. Open Championship onsite experience to date, thanks to a collaborative effort among the United States Golf Association, the Town of Brookline and The Country Club.
In line with the UN’s Sports for Climate Action framework, the U.S. Open sustainability plan will significantly reduce the championship’s carbon footprint and reinvest dollars back into the Town’s proactive environmental programs, leaving a lasting legacy well beyond this year’s event.
For the first time in its history, the USGA has also committed to baseline measurement and analysis of the 2022 championship’s carbon impact through third-party experts, which will lead to continuous improvement of the USGA’s operations and ultimately further reduce the championship’s environmental impact.
“Golf is an outdoor sport that invites everyone to enjoy the healthy, recreational benefits of green spaces in communities across the globe, and the USGA has led the way in advancing their environmental sustainability for over a hundred years,” said Mike Whan, CEO of the USGA. “The U.S. Open’s stage gives us a chance to spotlight all the environmental, social and economic benefits that golf courses provide to communities, and the actions we all need to take to protect them. It starts with a commitment, and then deliberate steps that lead to an incredibly big impact.”
“We are proud to partner as a one of the five founding members of the United States Golf Association and as neighbor within the Town of Brookline, to implement and promote joint sustainability initiatives that will produce the greenest U.S. Open to date,” said Lyman Bullard, President of The Country Club.
“Sustainability is a core principle and a top priority for our whole community,” said Heather Hamilton, Chair of the Brookline Select Board. “We are grateful to the USGA for its deep commitment to ensuring that the U.S. Open not only takes meaningful steps throughout the championship to promote sustainability, but leaves behind a lasting positive impact.”
The 2022 U.S. Open sustainability plan is rooted in three main focus areas:
Reduce: Significant energy and fossil-fuel conservation measures will be used throughout the U.S. Open, combined with a program to divert landfill waste and dramatically reduce single-use plastics. Direct efforts include:
- Reducing the use of diesel-powered generators, promoting open-air vs. air-conditioned spaces
- Promoting efficient mass transit to the championship to reduce single vehicle emissions
- Introducing all-digital ticketing and app-based fan information, LED signage to reduce paper waste
- Incorporating efficient lighting sources, including those powered through solar panels
- Eliminating more than 500,000 single use plastics from the U.S. Open and replacing them with more easily recycled aluminum cans or take-home collectible aluminum cups
- Delivering more than 105 hybrid vehicles into the courtesy transportation fleet through USGA partner, Lexus
- Encouraging fans to use recycling receptacles for food and beverage waste
Renew: The USGA will invest in community renewable energy projects and purchase Renewable Energy Credits to reduce the US Open’s footprint.
Re-invest: The USGA has collaborated with the Town of Brookline, local citizens groups and The Country Club to identify three community programs to improve the Town’s owned green spaces, increase its tree canopy and advance carbon sequestration plans:
- Planting 122 new trees in the Town of Brookline – The championship will add to the community’s tree canopy by planting hearty deciduous trees in Brookline in tandem with its Urban Forest Climate Resiliency Master Plan. The trees will be planted in Environmental Justice Zones determined by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts along various streetscapes, providing cooling zones and promoting healthy green spaces in the area.
Seventeen trees – honoring the USGA’s 17th national championship at the Country Club – will be planted this spring through a unique partnership with reforestation experts at One Tree Planted, the USGA and the Town of Brookline. The remaining trees will be planted in the fall, for a total of 122 new trees signifying the 122nd U.S. Open Championship.
- Restoring the Lost Pond Trail: Identified by the Town of Brookline as a greenspace in need of action, championship investment will help clean and resurface the Lost Pond Trail, also making it more accessible for visitors. Damaged as a result of weather, erosion and overgrowth, the trail will be restored as a viable public asset that can connect Brookline citizens with valuable community green spaces.
- Ecological Enhancement of the public Robert T. Lynch Municipal Golf Course: Following the U.S. Open, the Town will initiate an ecological restoration project at the golf course. Currently a dumping ground for natural debris from fallen trees and other plant materials, the area will be remediated to directly improve the area’s natural habitat, stormwater retention and water quality. Natural debris will be recycled, creating wood chips and organic material to help restore pathways and other recreational facilities throughout the Town.
The USGA is committed to education of our sustainability programs for key stakeholders and fans. Fans attending the championship will be able to play an active role in sustainability efforts through:
- Taking the MBTA subway, commuter rail service or bus lines directly to the championship
- Riding a bicycle or walking to the championship, or carpooling to limit single-ride vehicle use
- Using digital ticketing and official U.S. Open apps for course maps, pairings and championship fan experience sites, in lieu of printed materials to reduce paper waste
- Bringing an empty 32-oz. (or less, non-glass) refillable water bottle and using championship hydration stations to further reduce waste
- Taking advantage of open-air hospitality areas that reduce the number of generator-powered air conditioning units
- Enjoying onsite food and beverage items served in recyclable/compostable containers
- Following signs and disposing waste into designated bins, ensuring those items are diverted away from landfills
- Sharing their sustainability ideas and stories during championship week to raise awareness about climate change and community programs
- Completing the onsite U.S. Open survey to share how they traveled to the U.S. Open as part of the USGA’s goal of measuring its overall GHG emissions impact
The 2022 plan aligns with the United Nations’ Sports for Climate Action framework which provides global thought leadership and commitment from more than 275 sports organizations to support climate change. The program is rooted in five principles that commit to undertaking systematic efforts to promote environmental responsibility, reduce overall climate impact, educate for climate action, promote sustainable consumption and advocate for climate action through communication. The USGA has served as a signatory towards the Sports for Climate Action since 2020.
The U.S. Open sustainability plan also advances the Association’s deep commitment and proven work in sustainability for more than 100 years. The USGA invests $10 million each year in science, research, agronomy and course consulting that has been independently proven to provide more than $1.9 billion in savings back to golf each year. These savings are realized through more efficient water, fuel, labor and nutrient management practices from which the entire game has benefited. Drought and pest-resistant turfgrasses developed through USGA funding are used on soccer fields, baseball stadiums, football fields, parks and golf courses worldwide.