The 2012 Olympics are setting records before the actual games even begin. An emphasis on sustainability that started with London's initial bid and was included in every detail of the construction of the 500-acre Olympic Park has earned the 2012 Games the distinction of being the "first sustainable Olympics," according to organizers, and London's Olympic Stadium weighs in as the lightest in history.
OlympicAerial_7_12.jpgOlympic Park was built in part using materials recycled from the buildings that stood on the site before it, and green materials were used throughout the building process. The velodrome was constructed using sustainable wood, and the 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium was designed to utilize just 1/10 of the steel that comprised Beijing National Stadium (otherwise known as the "Bird's Nest"). Permanent venues such as the Aquatics Centre and Velodrome were constructed with temporary seating that would allow the venues to be transformed into community resources, while other structures were constructed with the intention of being dismantled, transported and reused after the games.
"It's not about two weeks ... It is what this site will be like 20 to 30 years down the road," David Stubbs, head of sustainability for 2012 Games, told CNN. With the future in mind, designers of Olympic Park also placed a literal emphasis on green. Contaminated water and soil on the park's site were cleaned up, and more than 300,000 wetland plants, 4,000 trees and 130,000 plants and bulbs were planted, providing an inviting new home for wildlife and bringing a touch of nature into the city. "One of the key things about this site is how you've got natural park lands as well as more formal gardens," Stubbs said. "Unlike previous games people are going to really feel they are in a park."
During the actual games, food vendors will utilize compostable packaging, and special emphasis will be placed on recycling programs, including the test of a new waste management system by Coca-Cola that may serve as an example for future sporting events.
London's green efforts reflect a push by the International Olympic Committee to include sustainability in its consideration of future host cities. Rio has already begun efforts to improve traffic flow and reduce carbon emissions in preparation for the 2016 Games. Organizers hope the 2012 Games will serve as a benchmark not only for future Games but serve as an example of sustainable design for the Games' four billion spectators.
"If you can put sustainability at the heart of a project which is the largest logistical exercise in peace time - across 26 different sports, with thousands of people attending and millions watching - then you can do it anywhere," Stubbs said.
