Climate Neutral Olympics: Say How?

Last week we looked at what a Climate Neutral Olympic Games is supposed to be about. Let’s have a look at how this is supposed to happen. In planning for these Games the idea was to look at the overall potential for emissions from the Games, not only for the days the Games take place in Vancouver in 2010, but over the 7 years since Vancouver was chosen as a site for the Olympics. The idea is that the direct emissions, the ones under the Vancouver Olympic Committee’s (VANOC) control, should be thought through and minimized, wherever possible. The indirect emissions on the other hand, can’t be stopped or minimized easily, as these involve the emissions from spectators and participants attending the games. Actually, if we had a “virtual Olympics” it would be a possibility, but as Avatar just came out in the theatres this year, the timing seems to be off for the 2010 Olympic Games!

Lets look at some of the things the VANOC has done to minimize its emissions. It’s interesting to note that according to a “Climate Scorecard” released this week by the David Suzuki Foundation, the Games score a “bronze” for their efforts at sustainability. Some of the ways that the VANOC looked at reducing emissions included: transportation planning, efficient office operations, green venue design and construction, fleet vehicle management and power planning. According to the Suzuki Report, the VANOC was able to reduce emissions 15% below what the “business as usual” approach would have been. The VANOC has also invited its partners, sponsors and spectators to offset their emissions to the games, when they couldn’t reduce them. Various sponsors have taken the VANOC up on their invitation, and some have come up with innovative approaches for their sustainability and carbon management programs for the games.

One company that has taken on the challenge in a big way is Coke. Coke has developed energy efficient cold-drink vending machines that will be showcased at the games. The1400 coolers and vending machines put in place at the games will also be utilizing a cooling technology that doesn’t use hydroflorcarbons (HFC) which are potent greenhouse gases. Coke has pledged to have 150,000 HFC free vending machines in place worldwide, by the end of this year, and by 2015 all of their new vending machines will be HFC free. Coke also used hybrid vehicles during the Olympic Torch relay, which it sponsored, and has outfitted staff with uniforms made from recycled PET bottles!

The VANOC has endorsed Offsetters.ca as the official “offsetter” of the games. Through offsetters, participants and spectators can “buy offsets” to lower their “Game time” emissions. Offsetters is offering a blend of offsets which both “embraces the sprit of local development as well as the global significance of the Games.” What this means is that the money collected through the offset program will go to both clean technology programs in British Columbia, as well as around the world.

Join us next week as we look at how Olympic Athletes are trying to reduce their emissions during the Games and throughout their training programs. Remember to follow Climate Mama, as we report as a spectator from Vancouver on how a Carbon Neutral Olympic Games looks and feels.