Ryder Cup goes green with recycling drive

Ireland is going green at this year’s Ryder Cup, by hosting the most environmentally friendly golf event ever staged.

The Race Against Waste Team will be working closely with organisers to score a hole in one by having the competition tee off with a range of environmental measures in place to encourage maximum recycling and minimum waste.

Up to 45,000 people a day are expected to attend the 36th Ryder Cup, to be held The K Club, Straffan, Co Kildare, in September.

Initiatives will include extensive recycling facilities in The Ryder Cup tented village and out on the course. A poster campaign will also target visitors travelling to the event on buses, while an environmental brochure is also being produced.

“The Race Against Waste Team have been working closely with The European Tour organisers on The Ryder Cup to ensure that waste produced at The K Club will be reduced, reused and recycled, in keeping with Irish national waste policy and the European Tour’s commitment to better environmental standards at all their events“, said environment minister Dick Roche.

“We recognise the event has a role to play in raising people’s awareness of a wide range of environmental issues,” added Richard Hills, Ryder Cup director. “Alongside the recycling information, we will provide other wildlife and landscape information to spectators as they move around the course.”