In 2010 Waste Management took over title sponsorship of the Phoenix Open, a tournament on the PGA TOUR circuit since 1932. Part of activating their title sponsorship was hosting an annual ‘sustainability forum’ where issues of waste and materials management can be openly discussed and solutions shared across industries. 

The 11th annual Waste Management Sustainability Forum was virtual this year. Normally held the Wednesday before the Waste Management Phoenix Open, the event encompassed 2-hour sessions over two days. The central theme for the forum was BREAKTHROUGH. The term ‘breakthrough’ was defined by WM Sr. VP Tara Hemmer to mean ‘the world needs BIG, BOLD action to BREAKTHROUGH the noise and barriers preventing true climate action’.

If you haven’t been to a forum before, this was my first, it was originally developed to bring industry leaders, innovators and government officials together to create conversation around actionable solutions to manage and mitigate our current climate crisis.

The theme Day 1 was centered on just that notion, Climate Change and Day 2’s theme was Leading with Purpose. Both sessions featured panels consisting of CEO’s and decision makers at companies across industries discussing current solutions and actions they are taking to show true leadership. However, one theme continually expressed was that corporate volunteerism and action is not enough. Federal action is coming but the boots must be on the ground ready to build out the infrastructure. Climate action needs to move from the boardroom onto the streets and into the communities where the general public begins changing their everyday habits.

My favorite part of the entire forum was during the opening session of Day 1 that featured a presentation from Jonathan Foley, Executive Director of Project Drawdown. Project Drawdown is a nonprofit organization whose vision is to stop global warming using existing solutions by achieving ‘Drawdown’ or the future point in time when levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere stop climbing and start to steadily decline.

Jonathan shared hard to swallow facts about the current state of our carbon emissions crisis. Currently 90% of our emissions comes from 5 economic sectors: energy (25%); food, agriculture & land use (24%); industry (i.e. materials, manufacturing and waste - 21%); transportation (14%, 10% is attributed to roads); and buildings (6%).

I point this out because there are current and existing solutions that create quick wins now across our economic landscape. All industries must collaborate to build the infrastructure needed to scale the entire world to a carbon-free future. 

In viewing this from a golf industry lenses, this is what I see:

• Energy - Investment in solar technology will not only cut carbon emissions but it will save money and even supplement energy grid production. Imagine a municipal golf course producing enough energy to power a homeless shelter.

• Food, Agriculture & Land Use - Alternative land uses exist as opportunities to support local communities or even directly source food for F&B operations. Expand the definition of golf as an essential business.

• Industry  - Conducting a waste audit is an ideal way for golf facilities to get a true sense of their waste materials and develop management systems to decrease their waste footprint. Looking at the big picture, the golf equipment and apparel industry must show accountability and transparency for the sourcing of the inputs that make golf balls, golf clubs and the rest of the accessories in this $2.3 billion industry.

Lastly, I want to share the levers needed to scale solutions, as provided by Jonathan during his presentation.

• Change Rules & Policy - laws, regulations and incentives are needed for broad implementation.

• Shift Financial Capital - divest from carbon-generating industries and invest in technologies, organizations and actions that help meet global emissions goals.

• Shift Human Capital - create and transition jobs to support a carbon-free future.

• Change Business Behavior - share goals, improve standards, create incentives and act transparently.

• Change Personal Behavior - create new norms, habits, and culture around living with a decreased carbon footprint.

• Advance Technology - targeted innovation and investment in R&D will give life to future long-term solutions while we build infrastructure today.