Each year, it seems that the location for the Olympic games gets a bit greener. Maybe it’s not as sustainable as some of us would like, but progress is progress. Theodore Oben, the head of the United Nations Environmental Programme Outreach Unit, says that he’s been impressed with the way people are handling preparations so far. According to Oben, most organizations and companies are working together to ensure that Russia’s first Winter Games will be as sustainable as they can.
Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be green—or even as sustainable as they possibly can be. For example, in order to fully preserve the land of the area, an overpass will need to be built. I’m all about creating new jobs, but building an overpass in order to preserve land just doesn’t seem like a sustainable idea to me—let alone a fiscally responsible one. Wouldn’t it be much easier—and greener—to, say, save energy, materials, and money by simply holding the games in a different location? Just an idea.
Some good news does surround the overpass—such as the planting of different plant species and the cultivation of rare plants. However, we can’t forget that the main purpose for the overpass is to provide access to the mountain resort—which isn’t an environmental focus so much as a tourist one. And while tourism brings money to an area, it also brings a hefty load of garbage and waste.
Most of the other things that businesses are doing to ensure that they remain “green” sound pretty standard as well—such as simply abiding by pollution laws and assessing building processes. Nothing sounds very innovative or even all that eco-friendly, and while it’s noted that professional ecologists have been employed to help oversee the efforts, it’s also noted that said ecologists are in-house, already employed by the construction companies.
Though I’m generally optimistic, I have a hard time seeing why Mr. Oben is so darn excited. Perhaps there are other developments and efforts being made to keep the Winter Games as green as possible that we’re not yet aware of. Wouldn’t it be amazing, for example, if only reusable drinking bottles were used, and if all trash had to be biodegradable and recyclable? The funny thing is, though people might scoff at such ideas, they are more than doable—and have been needed for a long time. It’s time for us to consider the impact that every big event like this has on our planet—and to take action to prevent negative consequences from occurring.