While the Olympics are taking place on the other side of North America, I can't help but think about how familiar Canadian culture is to us Metro Detroiters -- as opposed to most Americans, with knowledge limited only to "eh" jokes and (admittedly funny) one-liners from How I Met Your Mother.
But this is Green Space, so I'll get back on topic. As a nation, Canada is known for being very conscious of environmental stewardship, so it is no surprise that VANOC (Vancouver Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games) is talking up how green these games are. Some points of note:
- The medals themselves are made from recycled circuit boards.
- An electric scooter and a canoe were used to transport the torch as a means of drawing attention to alternative modes of transportation.
- The Athlete's Village is only the second LEED-Platinum neighborhood ever built. Impressively, it boasts a district energy system, grey water systems, and a net-zero building. It even has bus shelters that are ergonomicallydesigned to encourage exercise.
- The convention center is also LEED-Platinum and has the world's largest non-industrial green roof. It even has honeybees. Its underwater foundations have been designed to act as fish spawning habitat.
- Interestingly, the speedskating oval is made from pine beetle-damaged wood.
- Coca Cola, the games' official beverage sponsor, has introduced bottles made from 30 percent plant-based materials, and is using hybrids for deliveries
Worldchanging has a great article about how Vancouver as a municipality is leveraging all this flashy green building into a much broader sustainability plan for the city. Read it here.
The Games are not without criticism, including treatment of First Nations peoples and the poor, and yes, environmentally, with some Canadians questioning the need for new buildings and ski resort expansion for any reason.
And lest we forget, the plan to reignite the Olympic torch when the games are over is even generating some flak. If only we had such problems.
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh
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