London 2012 Summer Olympics Strive for Sustainability

When a London committee was gathered together to present a bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympics, it was agreed that sustainability would have a prominent focus. London was successful in their attempt to win the games.The organizing committee is now proceeding with their plans and for what they hope will inspire the world into living a greener life. What steps are being taken to ensure a sustainable 2012 Summer Olympics? The London 2012 Sustainability Plan focuses on five areas: climate change, biodiversity, healthy living, waste and inclusion.

London 2012 Summer Olympics will minimize their carbon footprint.
The London 2012 Olympic committee realizes that much of the carbon costs comes from building and hosting the Games. The London 2012 organizational group is committed to hosting a "low carbon Games." The committee is using a carbon footprint methodology that began the moment they won the bid in 2005. This reference footprint will help to guide the group to focus on areas where they can reduce as well as avoid using carbon emissions. For example, "Cooling in the Energy Centre and Aquatics Centre will use non-hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) chillers."

London 2012 Summer Olympics will create new habitats and open spaces.
The Olympic Park Masterplan will strive to create new open spaces and habits where there are none as well as planting drought-resistant plants, trees and shrubs. In the process, they will also eradicate Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed which are an invasive species known to create damage to foundations, roads and structures.To date, more than the "space equivalent to ten football fields" of Japanese Knotweed have been removed.

London 2012 Summer Olympics will inspire others to become active.
Living a healthy lifestyle will be a focus during the London 2012 Summer Olympics. By providing green, open spaces, people will be more likely to want to engage in outdoor activities and sports. The organizing committee also will provide healthy meals at all venues and no alcohol will be allowed at Olympic Park. All construction sites will adhere to strict safety requirements promoting an accident-free environment.

London 2012 Summer Olympics envisions a zero waste Games.
The London group is committed to designing and building the Olympic venues and village so that they are efficient at waste reduction focusing on recycling and reusing materials. One example: during demolition work of Olympic Park, workers will reclaim 90 percent of the materials by recycling and reusing them.

London 2012 Summer Olympics will celebrate diversity.
The London 2012 Olympic Games will embrace the diversity of the population of London and the world, creating an environment of inclusion. According to The Sustainability Plan, "Inclusion underpins all other sustainability themes - poorer people and minority groups are the first to feel the affects of climate change and declining biodiversity - and has a particularly close link to health." The group plans to implement this commitment by hiring and training a diverse group of people to work in the venues and sporting events throughout the games. There will also be educational opportunities for students in the UK as well as reaching 12 million children worldwide.

The London 2012 Sustainability Plan is based on conservatively living within the Earth's resources. The plan states: "Derived from the WWF/BioRegional concept of One Planet Living®1, this recognises [sic] that as a global society, we are living beyond the regenerative capacity of our planet. While consumption and pollution vary significantly between territories, if everyone lived as we do in the UK we would need three planets' worth of resources to support us. Our approach acknowledges that we must live within a fair share of the earth's resources." To learn more about the efforts of the London 2010 Summer Olympics committee and their efforts to encourage a more sustainable way of living, please go here.

Sources: www.london2012.com