Top 5 Green Initiatives From the 2010 Olympics
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To say that the staging the Winter Olympics is a monumental task is a lot like saying the Pacific Ocean is a pretty big body of water. The 2010 Olympic games in Vancouver/Whistler required massive building and renovating of new and existing structures and infrastructure. Along with all of these colossal undertakings, there was also the need to find ways of moving large crowds and staff safely and efficiently from one venue to the next without leaving a King Kong-sized carbon footprint. Here are the top five of the many green initiatives employed by the organizers and sponsors of the games.
5. Have A Coke And A Smile
Coca-Cola set up a waste diversion program to ensure that 95% of waste generated during the games wound up in recycling plants and not landfills. Bottles, shrink wrap and cardboard trays will be recycled and reused, sparing the city a huge influx of excess waste courtesy of the thousands of tourists flocking to the city to cheer on their athletes.
4. Generator Nix
A large number of diesel generators were usually kept on hand during past Olympic games sites in case of emergency. As it was imperative that the generators be ready to be put into place at a moment’s notice, they were usually kept idling until needed, polluting the air and burning fuel. The solution to this problem came courtesy of BC Hydro and two underground power lines, one of which served as a back up in case of a power loss in the main trunk. With a switching system, power could be diverted from one trunk to the next almost instantly.
3. On The Road
Even before the games officially got under way, steps were taken to reduce the carbon footprint of the torch relay across Canada and the rest of the world. Through use of recycled materials and making smart, green transportation choices in moving staff and volunteers from one spot to the next, this green approach produced an energy efficient relay that was good for the planet. Also energy efficient skytrain systems were expanded along with hybrid taxis brought into service to help shuttle people about.
2. Village, People
The Olympic Village, called Millennium Water, is a shining example of sustainability. Half of the buildings have green roofs which cut down on the cost of heating and cooling the 200 units in each of the buildings spread over 9 blocks. Also the US Green Building Council is expected to give the Olympic Village a LEED gold certificate for the green initiatives utilized in the facilities.
1. Used Medals?
Were you aware that the Olympic medals are made from recycled end-of-life electronics? And by making the medals some of the heaviest ever distributed at the games, more recycled material was kept out of landfills and instead was transformed into one of a kind works of art. Each medal is unique but the sustaining initiatives employed to create them hopefully aren’t.
Andrew Salmon is a freelance writer. He writes on a variety of financial topics such as universal life insurance policies.
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Mirrored from Mindzle.