# Things Are Looking Green for the Olympics

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2011/01/things-are-looking-green-for-the-olympics/
- Published: 2011-01-24T17:19:36-05:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

Individuals have already begun speculating about which country will win the bid 
to host the 2022 Winter Olympics. Many say that the United States is seriously pushing
to win the bid. If they do indeed win this bid, not only is the United States Olympic
Committee USOC looking to further athletic achievements, but to make substantial
environmental changes to the event.  This began with naming Andrew Liveris and Dow
Chemical the worldwide partner in the Olympics for the next decade.

As fantastic and unifying as the Olympics are, it’s quite a carbon-rich event. So
while these changes may only seem minor, they’re actually a huge deal. It has been
estimated that over 2/3 of the carbon emissions from the event is a result of some
of the 1.5+ million attendees traveling (mostly via airplane) to and from the event.

CEO Andrew Liveris and USOC members are looking to do more by following the lead
of the 2008 Summer Games that were held in Beijing. The 2008 summer Olympics made
great efforts to showcase conservation practices and sustainable energy sources,
Exactly what environmentally friendly services did the Olympic facilities feature?

 * **Solar power** – Used to light lawns, courtyards and streets at several venues,
   including the Olympic Village. A 130 KW photovoltaic system illuminated The National
   Stadium, where events such as athletics and football were held.
 * **Water Conservation** – Waste water collected from the Qinghe sewage treatment
   plant was filtered and used for the various heating and cooling needs throughout
   the Olympics site, yielding a 60% savings in electricity. Rainwater was collected
   from around the grounds, collecting over 75,000 gallons by using water permeable
   bricks, pipes and wells installed on roofs, roads and green areas.
 * **Natural Light** – Remember the famous ‘Water Cube’ where the aquatic events
   were held? The walls of the National Aquatics Centre provided natural light, 
   and for the interior of the building, specially designed ‘beam-pipes’ funneled
   sunlight into corridors, toilets and car parks at venues, including the Olympic
   Green.
 * **Recycling** – The 2008 Olympic hosts aimed for a 50 per cent recycling of waste
   including paper, metals and plastics at venues. A modest expectation, considering
   that a test run carried out during the 11th World Softball Championships held
   in 2007, achieved a nearly 90 per cent recycling rate.

While the Olympics in 2008 had great new ways of filtration and insulation for the
events. That vision has progressed to include dozens of other products which will
help reduce waste and promote conservation. You can expect these products to appear
at the coming events over the next decade and be a part of the USOC recommendations.

Co-written by Nerissa Barry and Daniel Fielding

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 greenlivingguy

 The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living
expert, and Editor of the McGraw-Hill, TAB Green Guru Guides. Seth is also an Author,
Radio Host, Reporter, Writer and an Environmental Consultant on green living. The
Green Living Guy writes about green living, green lighting, the green guru guides
and more. Seth's books range from: # Build Your Own Electric Vehicle by Bob Brant
and Seth Leitman (2nd and 3rd editions) # Build Your Own Plug-in Hybrid Electric
Vehicle by Seth Leitman # Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle by Carl Vogel # Green
Lighting by Seth Leitman, Brian Clark Howard and Bill Brinsky # Solar Power For 
Your Home by David Findley # Renewable Energies For Your Home by Russel Gehrke #
Do-it-Yourself Home Energy Audits by David Findley # Build Your Own Small Wind Power
System by Brian Clark Howard and Kevin Shea # and more green living books to follow.

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