14 DAY TRIAL // When in 2010 the London Olympic Authority stated loud and clear that 2012's Games would be the greenest ones anyone had ever seen, conservationists worldwide saluted the idea.
However, it seems that, in spite of the best of intentions, the “Green Olympics” are not going to be as environmentally friendly as we all hoped they would be.
Inhabitat points out a few major flaws in this year's Olympics green design and organization.
First of all, it seems that slowly but surely the organizers switched from cutting carbon emissions by half to just reducing them to some extent, and the use of recycled materials also fell behind on the established target.
Then there is the problem of energy. Apparently, nobody knows for sure just how much of it the 2012 Olympics will require.
However, rumor has it that, low-carbon and renewable fuel sources aside, the games will lead to 3,4 million tons of CO2 being released into the atmosphere. As one can easily imagine, this is not something that pleases environmentalists.
As well as this, some – if not most – green-heads might wish to express some disapproval at the news that, instead of doing everything in their power to cut down on gas emissions, some of the organizers preferred to carry on with their activities in their usual manner and simply invest in certain environmental project meant to counteract the pollution they are responsible for.
One representative of Friends of the Earth explained how, “The focus needs to be on emissions reduction, both in the UK and abroad, rather than playing one country off another.”
Last, but not least, it seems that the people coming to London from all parts of the world in order to take part in this event will also be responsible for producing considerable amounts of pollution, seeing how most of them will have to come here either by plane, or by car – both of which run on fossil-fuels.