The facade of the Paris City Hall decorated for the Olympic Games.
Craig King has heard rather a lot in regards to the sustainability of the upcoming Paris Olympics – their historic commitment to green energy, recycling and public transport. But that is not why he will the Games.
King will probably be in Paris along with his wife to cheer on their son Matt, who’s on the U.S. Olympic swim team.
“We will see Matt and the team at the Paris La Défense Arena in Nanterre,” says King, a pilot from Seattle.
Craig King along with his son, Olympic swimmer Matt King and his wife Linda.
The Kings are like many other Olympic spectators. They may not necessarily come to the Games for the sustainability initiatives, but they’re fascinated by them nonetheless.
For example, King says he noticed that the aquatics center was built with high-performance thermal and acoustic insulation, in addition to rainwater funnel systems for all lawn irrigation.
“The French are doing a great job of repurposing as many existing, environmentally friendly buildings as possible for the Games,” he says. “Hopefully they were able to clear away all the glitter from the last Taylor Swift concerts.”
The Olympic Games in Paris Sustainability plan is sprawling and breathtakingly ambitious. It includes:
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by half and offset any remaining emissions to attain carbon neutrality.
- Create an “environmentally responsible” event that uses sustainable solutions.
- Protecting the animals’ habitat through initiatives on the event locations.
“They are intended to produce an edition of the Games that can serve as an inspirational example and leave a lasting legacy,” wrote Tony Estanguet, President of the 2024 Olympic Games, within the sustainability plan.
Of course, the Paris Olympics also faced some sustainability challenges. These include the polluted Seine, which is currently unsuitable for swimming. Organizers also gave in to pressure from athletes and allowed them to bring mobile air con units.
But there are also highlights, equivalent to efforts to supply healthy, locally produced food and improve public transportation, making a legacy for future Olympic Games.
Sodexo Live! Chef Charles Guilloy along with his specialty dish made out of sweet potatoes. The French … [+]
A sustainable food initiative from Sodexo Live!
One of the very best known examples of sustainability is SodexoLive!the French catering company.
The company plans to implement a sustainable gastronomy model with recipes that use seasonal products, a neighborhood purchasing policy – 80 percent of total food supplies come from France – an ambitious food recycling program and a plan to reduce plastic packaging.
Sodexo Live! can also be placing a powerful emphasis on plant-based diets. A 3rd of the meals served within the athletes’ village will probably be vegan and 60 percent of the food on the venues will probably be plant-based, in response to Franck Chanevas, CEO of Sodexo Live! France and Spain.
“Paris 2024 will showcase Sodexo Live!’s expertise in organizing major events and underline our commitment to promoting social and environmental progress around the world,” he adds.
According to Chanevas, Sodexo Live! fully supports the Olympic organizers’ goals of halving carbon dioxide emissions. The company hopes to set a precedent for future major competitions and show the feasibility of sustainability.
“I think the Games will help raise awareness of plant-based dishes, reduce food waste and promote local produce,” he says.
So once you’re at an Olympic event next month and order a plant-based hot dog, remember: It’s all a part of the Games.
Björn Bender, President of Rail Europe.
Olympia gets on the train – and on the bike
The Olympic Games are also breaking recent ground in relation to sustainable transport. The organisers want to cut back CO2 emissions by 50 percent in comparison with the typical of the London and Rio Games. Even the indirect footprint of the Games, equivalent to spectators’ travel, is to be addressed by encouraging visitors to make use of sustainable technique of transport equivalent to the train.
The organizers have planned the games to make optimal use of the present public transport network. There are also over 400 kilometers of recent cycle paths.
According to the organizers, greater than 80 percent of the Olympic venues are positioned inside a 10-kilometer radius of the Olympic Village. This minimizes travel time for the athletes.
In addition, all venues will be reached by public transport. The transport corporations plan to expand the bus, metro and train services in Paris by 15 percent in comparison with the regular summer timetable.
The fleet of athletes and accredited participants will include electric, hybrid and hydrogen vehicles. However, in comparison with previous Olympic Games, around 40 percent fewer vehicles will probably be used at these Games.
“The French officials want to host the most responsible and sustainable Games in history, and that is quite impressive,” says Björn Bender, President of Rail Europe.
Bender expects that increasingly athletes, teams, fans and spectators will decide to travel to and from the Olympic Games by train.
“This not only underlines our commitment to sustainable transport, but also highlights the environmental benefits of rail, which emits up to 90 percent less carbon dioxide than air travel,” he says. “This switch to rail travel during major sporting events is an example of a global trend towards more environmentally friendly travel options.”
Ralph Buehler, professor of urban development and planning at Virginia Tech.
Is this the long run of sustainability?
The changes didn’t occur overnight. Paris expects 15 million visitors for the 2024 Summer Olympics and has been preparing for years.
“While such an influx would push any city to its limits, Paris has undergone a dramatic infrastructural transformation over the past decade,” says Ralph Buehler, professor of urban design and planning at Virginia Tech.
According to Buehler, Paris has transformed its approach to urban planning from an engineering give attention to the movement of cars and SUVs to a more holistic approach to improving quality of life, which incorporates promoting cycling, walking and public transit.
“These changes could serve as inspiration for other cities around the world looking for their own infrastructure and transport solutions,” he adds.
