In these days of carbon footprints and emissions targets, "green" practises are becoming the norm in virtually all walks of life.

Homes, businesses, and individual lifestyles are making changes to accommodate more "green" practices. Sport is no exception.

Taking care of sporting facilities demands much time and effort, and across the country this is being carried out in an increasingly "green" manner with the use of environmentally and ecologically-friendly practices.

The Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) in Bingley is at the forefront of research and development into, and the care and maintenance of, sports surfaces.

As well as testing different surfaces, consultants from the STRI advise groundkeepers across the UK, with inquiries into ecological issues being high on most agendas.

To reflect this, the institute's ecology and environment unit, which was set up 15 years ago, has, in the past year, expanded from one employee to four. Its work focuses primarily on golf courses, but staff, such as STRI ecologist Dr Kelly Watson, are also called upon to consult on other sporting surfaces.

To those responsible for the care and maintenance of sports surfaces, the use of recycled materials is nothing new.

"For a long time people have looked at using them, especially on golf courses," says Dr David Lawson, senior research officer at the Sports Turf Research Institute, "From the beginnings of greenkeeping in the early 1900s, grass cuttings from the course itself were commonly used, as well as manure from local farms, which made a rich compost for use on the course. Golf tends to be the forerunner and other sports followed."

The widespread use of compost on golf courses declined in the 1960s due to the demands on labour, to be replaced with commercially-produced fertilisers.

But over the past decade, the idea of making and using home-produced compost has gained momentum.

"In the past ten years there has been a huge interest in going green, again particularly in golf, with the idea of producing compost on site," says Dr Lawson. "There is a great deal of interest in composting among greenkeepers."

Says STRI ecologist Dr Kelly Watson. "A move towards greener practices is happening on many golf courses across the country. Where, in the past they would have used a fertiliser, they are now using organic matter."

The Royal & Ancient Golf Club, the governing body of golf around the world, is setting an example. Its course at St Andrews has compost bags around the course, which are then collected and taken to a central composting area.

Research is ongoing at the STRI as to the optimum amount to apply to fairways. "It helps the grass retain moisture in dry weather, and it saves money too," she adds.

The use of self-produced compost is also being implemented in some areas of the country for use on football pitches.

Growing numbers of people are also showing an interest in carbon immobilisation, or lock in', in turf. "Grasses absorb a lot of carbon dioxide and immobilise it in the root system," explains Dr Lawson. "They absorb the carbon into the soil. If you can quantify how much carbon is being absorbed it would be good for golf from a public relations point of view."

The knock-on effects of global warming for sports clubs have heralded the use of greener practices. Long hot spells mean the need for more watering.

Adds Dr Watson: "A lot of golf clubs have recognised this need and are making efforts to source water naturally. Instead of using the mains supply, they are looking at using water from boreholes.

"Some clubs recycle water from their clubhouse and hotel, if there is one on the site, and some are looking at collecting and harvesting rainwater from roofs and other areas."

There is ongoing research and development into grasses that are more tolerant to water and very dry soil conditions. These are brought for testing to the STRI, where between 400 and 500 seeds are growing at any one time.

A growing number of clubs are investing in weather-testing equipment which looks at rainfall and overnight evaporation. Says Dr Lawson: "They know how much water is lost and how much they need to put back into the soil." This way, water can be turned on for a set time and courses use only what is needed with no waste.

The STRI's construction department has been involved in developing sustainable drainage systems, which water moves through at a slower pace than it does through conventional systems. This is applicable not only to golf courses, but football pitches and other sports surfaces.

Says Dr Lawson: "In some places, municipal football pitches are being used as temporary or functional' floodplains, one example being those beside the River Calder in Todmorden.

The ecology and environment unit at STRI plays a major role within Golf Environment Europe, a registration and accreditation system for golf clubs throughout Europe, through which clubs demonstrate positive and sustainable use of land.

Issues covered include nature conservation, landscape and cultural heritage, turfgrass management including water and pesticide use, energy efficiency and waste management.

At the request of a club, one or more of the institute's ecologists will visit to survey the course, or other sports surface, looking at areas such as water management, tree planting, path restoration, wildlife habitats and recycling.

The team work on golf courses across the UK, Europe, Scandinavia, Saudi Arabia, and occasionally courses in Russia and Asia.

"In Spain a lot of recycled water is used, including municipal water from sewage treatment works," says Dr Lawson. "Some of the work we are doing in Saudi Arabia involves highly-saline water, which requires salt-tolerant grass that would not grow in the country."

The protection and nurturing of wildlife habitats has led to some courses - such as Forest Pines in Lincolnshire, and the Royal County Down club on the coast of Northern Ireland - producing a hole-by-hole booklet listing every plant, bird, animal and insect to be found there.

Among the many research projects at STRI was operation bumblebee', to increase the number and diversity of wildflowers in the coarse rough grass at the edge of the fairway.

As well as working with the natural environment, recycled products are being tested for use on golf courses, including fine sand made from glass bottles, which can be used in bunkers and on other areas. And some clubs have taken on the role of community recycling centres.

To encourage golf clubs across Britain towards a greener approach, every year the STRI run a competition looking at best practice in ecology and environment.

"We look at the best clubhouses for energy efficiency. One club, in Nottinghamshire, for example, uses a wood chip burner, and another recycles used cooking oil," says Dr Watson.

"From our competition this year I've been really impressed with the work clubs are doing and their ideas for the future," she adds.