Page 21 - GBC winter 2015

Her
name
Are you ready to rehabilitate and embrace this demon-goddess?
Biomethane
is
We all know that green is ‘in’; bike paths replace car lanes, organic produce is preferred over fast food, glass containers and paper bags trump plastic ones, and the list goes on. Climate protection with its ecological, economical, societal, and political implications is the most relevant driver for these global changes.
SUSTAINABLE WASTE MANAGEMENT
The evidence of changed public behaviour is everywhere. We are constantly reminded to reduce, reuse, and recycle! Greening is no longer about ‘green-washing’; greening is now about positively impacting the income statement.
Yet, are there green choices for renewable energy out there for golf course owners that may equally be called ‘disruptive’? Are they readily available to Canadian constituents? Have they been “validated” under representative Canadian conditions? Yes, and you do not need to have deep pockets to invest if you want to make a difference.
Society loves the underdog, the unsung hero. Face it; the public is equally fascinated by gritty head- lines of the tabloids at the checkout counter. Such is the story about our choice for ‘biogas’ in the pantheon of renewable energy.
Strangely, biogas is feared, dis- missed, and misunderstood just like novel energy technologies (e.g. elec- tric cars, biofuels, etc.). This distanc- ing has created a blind spot for both investors and policymakers. Society does not create the sunshine for solar panels, or the water in reser- voirs for hydro-electric dams, or the wind for wind farms, but it does create a lot of garbage and this mess has to go somewhere.
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