South Pasadena, Calif., is the first city in the nation to convert its municipal golf course into an “AGZA Green Zone® Golf Course,” maintaining the facility entirely with electric equipment to reduce air pollution and noise.
The City of South Pasadena, Calif., joined by California State Senator Anthony Portantino, the American Lung Association and environmental organizations, celebrated its status as the first city in the nation to convert its municipal Arroyo Seco Golf Course to an “AGZA Green Zone® Golf Course.”
Certified by the American Green Zone Alliance, the city was previously the first in the nation to convert all of its park and median maintenance to emission- and gas-free equipment.
“South Pasadena continues to be a leader in sustainability and reducing the harmful health and environmental impacts of its municipal operations,” said Mayor Michael Cacciotti. “We’re proud to have partnered with AGZA, the AQMD and Donovan Brothers Golf to provide cleaner healthier air and more peace and quiet to everyone who lives in, works in, or visits our city.”
Working with the city’s golf course maintenance contractor, Donovan Brothers Golf, LLC, the Arroyo Seco Golf Course is now maintained using electric equipment, which replaced equipment run on gasoline. The city’s action has significantly reduced air pollution and noise.
“The City of South Pasadena has been a leader on green strategies for many years, and today is another great example of that leadership,” said Portantino, whose district includes Pasadena. “I applaud the city, Donovan Brothers and the American Green Zone Alliance and look forward to working with them to extend their work.”
The celebration took place at the 18-hole par-3 course, which also features a driving range, putting greens, mini-golf, and café.
“As one of the nation’s leading advocates for clean air, we are pleased to praise the City’s leadership,” said John Yi, Director of Advocacy, American Lung Association. “Particulate pollution has long been identified as a leading cause of lung cancer, and by eliminating pollution from small gasoline engines, the city will be helping in the fight against this terrible disease.“
Today’s action followed 2016’s successful AGZA Certified Green Zone City campaign. Eliminating toxic, carcinogenic, and particulate emissions from gas combustion not only prevents the creation of smog and greenhouse gasses, but improves the health and safety of the grounds maintenance crew who use these machines for hours every day.
“By certifying the nation’s first AGZA Green Zone® Golf Course, Arroyo Seco and the City of South Pasadena are taking bold steps to demonstrate that you can have clean quiet golf greens without the noise, health, and environmental damage inherent with gasoline-powered equipment,” said Dan Mabe, Founder American Green Zone Alliance. “Golf is a sport and a lifestyle that prides itself on pristine landscaping and quiet beauty, which until now have been marred by small gas engines—the least efficient, dirtiest, and most polluting mechanisms around.”
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