Environmental Issues for Olympic Games

Green Marketing, Sustainable Planning and Environmental Activism

Oct 11, 2009 Bev Yaworski

Olympic Games have a history of celebration combined with controversy. These days Olympic organizers are asked to introduce green, sustainable standards to the Games.

Beijing China had pledged to the International Olympic Committee to achieve World Health Organization standards for urban air quality in time for their 2008 Summer Olympic Games, as reported in a 2005 media release by the Environment News Service. Due to China’s use of coal and its contribution to smog, this idea was a more difficult goal then it might appear. Much of Beijing and its industrial factories had to shut down prior and during the Olympics to make the air more breathable for athletes and visitors. Other green promises that were made included:

hydrogen, natural gas and electric buses
solar energy
environmentally friendly buildings and
planting of more trees.

Green Olympics for Vancouver 2010

The 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics are also under enormous pressure to present a “green face” to the world. The Game’s sustainability goals, in a report called “Cut the Carbon”, are impressive; but cost over-runs, shifting climate conditions, massive security costs and transportation concerns have also grabbed news headlines. The tasks to be accomplished in a limited time frame for a two-week event during a worldwide recession are formidable.

To give organizers credit, their planning involved work with the respected, international, environmental organization – the David Suzuki Foundation - to write a four step Carbon Management Plan.

The report estimates a Games’ carbon footprint of 110,000 tonnes direct carbon emissions and indirect emissions of 220,000 tonnes. This includes use of gasoline, diesel, propane, natural gas and electricity. Olympic events use extensive energy to heat buildings, make snow, freeze ice sheets, power equipment and transport people and supplies.

Environmental Issues and Olympic Challenges

Although 2010 Olympic reports refer to “working with power suppliers such as BC Hydro for an innovative approach to providing power”, Olympic energy details are unclear, except for a reference to the use of 100 generators rather then 600 normally used for such an event. Alternative green energy sources such as wind or solar appear not to be a significant part of the solution.

The transportation challenges for the Olympics are huge. About 42,000 athletes, media and volunteers and 2 million spectators are expected to descend on a seaside, mountainous location by plane, bus, car or rail into unpredictable west coast weather of rain, sun, ice and "possibly" snow.

Events are scattered through an area from Vancouver to the ski slopes of Whistler 125 km away on a winding unpredictable highway. Some transportation plans include mass transit, park-and-ride, non-motorized access to events and transit passes. Staff will use some hybrids cars and car-pooling. Olympic supporters also highlight the benefits to Vancouver’s present auto congested roadways by having had the $2-billion rapid transit system extensions fast tracked to accommodate the Games. Short term pain! Long Term Gain?

Environmental Activism and the Olympics

All may not be “green” though in the Canadian land of majestic trees! Pressure from environmental groups is on Olympic organizers to keep the promises outlined in those Olympic Cut the Carbon reports. The David Suzuki Foundation launched a petition where over 70 Olympic and professional athletes sent a letter to Olympic organizers, urging them to become carbon neutral. Citizens around the world were invited to join the petition to pressure officials to keep their green promises.

And does an Olympic size light show qualify for environmental green points?

Vancouver Canada has the lowest per capita greenhouse gas emissions of any major city in North America - a distinction that hopefully will not be tarnished by an Olympic event. The coming year will be the real test to see if public pressure will force Olympic organizers to “have put their green pedal to the gold medals”!

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