Days ago, the largest sporting event in the world began, where thousands of athletes from around the world gather in London, England to compete in dozens of disciplines during the Olympic Games.
Since 2010, when the organizing committee announced that the Games would be “the greenest in history,” environmentalists around the world have celebrated the idea.
London 2012, according to the organisation's announcement, is focusing on promoting biodiversity, using renewable energy, effectively managing waste, constructing greener buildings and creating parks to regenerate deprived areas, adding to the post-Olympic legacy that will provoke a change in society towards greener management. In fact, from the opening ceremony, the green scene created was intended to raise awareness of the continuing problems affecting the natural world.
Here are some of the specific points that the promoters have emphasized:
- Saving resources in the construction of temporary buildings - whose components can be reused - and the use of recycled materials, for example: the ring surrounding the roof of the Olympic Stadium was built with reused gas pipes; in other works, recycled concrete and cement have been used, resulting in a 30% reduction in carbon emissions compared to new material.
- It is estimated that carbon emissions will be reduced by up to 30% over the duration of the Games, and the plan to reduce CO2 will continue after the Games.
- Reduction in food waste: To achieve this, all food is being supplied by a single company, using very strict criteria, and packaged with colour codes to facilitate recycling. This measure has its critics as it is only used within the controlled space designated for delegations and events.
- Energy saving: The aim according to the organisation is for 20% of the energy to come from renewable sources. In terms of design, the clearest example is the special design of the velodrome, which has taken into account natural ventilation.
- Boosting biodiversity: Areas have been created in London that are suitable habitats for different species. Nearly 2,000 trees from all over England that are resistant to climate change (ash, alder, willow, birch, poplar, cherry and linden) have been transplanted to form the green spaces of the Park and the Olympic Village. In addition, there are more than 300,000 wetland plants, making it the largest wetland river in the country.
- Mobilization: A fleet of hybrid taxis has been created.
- Slum regeneration: London's East End was once virtually a rubbish dump, with extremely high levels of pollution. Today it has clean rivers and canals, 250 kilometres of underground power lines, 3,000 homes and extensive gardens, sewage treatment plants, the city's largest shopping centre and a new international railway station that will connect with the Eurostar to Paris and Brussels.
- Program to encourage clean transportation, so that people can get to events on foot or by bicycle. A parking lot for seven thousand bicycles was opened at the Olympic Stadium, which includes free cleaning and maintenance services.
But are they really sustainable?
The focus on the environment at the Olympics began at the Lillehammer Winter Games and was followed by an eco-friendly programme at the Sydney Olympics. However, despite the best intentions of the officials, the "Green Olympics" will not be as green as expected. Just thinking about the number of athletes, visitors, organisers and journalists who will travel, eat and consume during the duration of the Olympics is far from green.
Other aspects that lead us to think the above are:
- The organizers' decision to cut carbon emissions in half was reconsidered, reaching 30% according to the most optimistic calculations, about 3.4 million tons of CO2 in the atmosphere (a sixth of what Ecuador produces in an entire year).
- The final amount of recycled materials used also decreased compared to the initially set level.
- As for energy use, until just over a month ago, no one in the organizing committee knew for sure how much energy would be used in total.
- The last but not least of the unsolved problems relates to the travel that people visiting from all over the world to participate in this event make (mostly by plane or bus), both based on the use of fossil fuels.
The London Games could certainly earn the title of the “greenest” in history, but there is still a long way to go before they become truly sustainable.
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