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Developers in Japan built too many golf courses during a recent real estate boom, and now some of the under-used facilities are being converted into solar farms, with hundreds of thousands of solar panels lining former fairways and putting greens. Similar strategies are being considered in the U.S. as interest in the sport wanes

The Toro Company, with its irrigation business based in California, is helping the state's golf courses meet the mandated 25 percent statewide reduction in water use.

The Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament diverted 100% of its waste from landfills for the second consecutive year. The tournament also avoided 346 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, 369,000 gallons of water, and 471,000 KW-h of electricity.

Use of treated wastewater is growing in California, with the "disinfected tertiary" water helping with irrigation and dust control. Demand is expected to grow -- partly because the treated water is 75% cheaper than potable water -- but meeting that demand will require infrastructure upgrades. "Moving recycled water requires separate infrastructure running to the various facilities, and that is very expensive," said Jennifer Allen, director of public affairs for the Contra Costa Water District.