The medals made from recycled waste aren’t the only eco-friendly aspect of the Vancouver Olympics. As was promised back in the early planning stages, Olympic officials have succeeded in creating the first carbon neutral Games — including the travel necessary for getting the 7,000 athletes, coaches and officials to British Columbia.
The venues for the Games are not only LEED platinum and gold certified, but are also getting 90 percent of their electricity from renewable hydropower. That, along with the reliance on hydrogen-powered mass transit — as there is no spectator parking at any of the venues — is creating a heavy offset to the potential environmental damage an event of this size could cause.
Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, former organic farmer who ran the Happy Planet juice company, told the LA Times:
“We feel like we’ve raised the bar. Some of these technologies will be a legacy for generations to come that will benefit cities all over the world.”
Robertson’s goals do not end with the Olympic Games. He hopes that the technologies used to create the green Games will contribute to creating an eco-friendly British Columbia.
The money used to offset the Games — over $3 million — is being provided by a private sponsor, and city officials hope that the generous source will give Vancouver a lead over other green cities in the Pacific Northwest, like Seattle and Portland.
[Via: LA Times]
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