This golf tournament is the largest zero-waste sporting event in the world

When it comes to golf courses, people are more likely to think of environmental waste — not solutions. For example, in California, the average 18-hole golf course guzzles up 90 million gallons of water per year ​​— the equivalent of 136 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

But for the past 12 years, the Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament in Arizona has earned the UL Solutions zero-waste stamp of approval. The tournament — which is sponsored by Waste Management, a national environmental services company — has developed innovative ways to divert 100% of waste from landfills through recycling, composting, and energy conversion.

Lee Spivak, who leads WM’s advisory services team, said that the event is a guinea pig when it comes to testing out new environmentally friendly measures, like installing composting bins throughout the course and making turf and scaffolding out of recycled materials. “It’s very much our lab,” Spivak told the Associated Press. “We’ll try an idea, try an approach to a customer. Then we’ll scale it up here and take it to other customers.”When it comes to water conservation — the sport’s biggest offender — WM recycles greywater from the kitchens and hospitality bars by the venue’s famous 16th hole, where thousands gather in stadium-style seating.Illustrated by Carra SykesSince creating a reliable model for zero-waste operations at the Phoenix Open, WM has partnered with Major League Baseball to help sports venues reduce their carbon footprint and divert waste, with projects in the works at 15 ballparks.

“When they start to care, the ripple effect of the influence doesn’t really end,” Spivak said. “It just keeps getting bigger and bigger. That’s the pride I feel in this tournament.”‍A version of this article originally appeared in the 2025 Sports Edition of the Goodnewspaper. Header image via Tyler Hendy / Pexels‍