The reality is there is no going back now with Vancouver 2010 Olympic plans. Too much has been built and too much money has been committed to turn back. The “party” must go on! There is a lot of irony though in many of the “green” Olympic plans. The new Olympic Speed Skating Oval was built by displacing a large organic community garden site. The roof was constructed from wood damaged by pine beetle infestation. Some scientists report global warming and climate change have created the pine beetle problem. Olympic athletes are also expressing concern about the connection between global warming and disappearing snow for winter sports.
Sustainable Businesses
Olympic organizers say they are committed to approving suppliers that follow sustainability objectives by “emphasizing energy conservation, energy efficiency and waste reduction”. Each supplier is asked to complete an extensive questionnaire to identify how the company “can bring a sustainability ‘value add’ to a supplier relationship with VANOC”. (VANOC Vancouver Olympic Committee) This “ Supplier Sustainability and Aboriginal Participation Questionnaire” asks questions such as: Does your organization have a Documented Zero Waste Policy? Or carbon neutral commitment and carbon off-set program? Does your organization purchase renewable energy and/or alternative fuels? Etc. Etc.
Olympic Green Goal: “Creating Value with Our Spending”
Olympic organizers introduced a sustainable purchasing and ethical sourcing program called Buy Smart. “When bidding on VANOC business opportunities, suppliers are asked to include information on their environmental programs and the degree to which they are: Aboriginal-owned (or employ Aboriginal people); based in one of Vancouver's three inner-cities communities (or employ from the inner-city); and provide opportunities for persons with a disability or other sustainability features”.
Environmental Data
Unfortunately, Olympic officials report there have been “challenges in finding sustainable suppliers because there is a relatively small supply of enterprises with sustainability and Aboriginal participation attributes, a positive track record of success and the capacity to deliver the volumes the Olympics is seeking. Some of these suppliers are just beginning to organize to compete more readily”.
The approved supplier list includes over 200 suppliers. For example, for print services and office stationery, the firm of Mills Basics was accepted. Mills was the first stationer in Vancouver to receive the Forest Stewardship Council FSC chain-of-custody certification as meeting international standards for forest management. They also claim to be a carbon neutral company that is also 100% Canadian owned and operated. Olympic mascots and souvenir flags have been made in China. Does this qualify as a "sustainable supplier"?
Environmental Assessment
It all sounds very impressive! But not everyone is convinced. Games critics might say all this attention to glossy, green initiatives is hiding more painful realities. For example: does contracting with a green paper supplier justify the Olympic deforestation and habitat displacement that occurred along the Sea to Sky highway, around valuable mountain ski areas, along sensitive ecosystems such as the Eagle Ridge Bluffs or at the Cypress Mountain ski hill expansion?
Some critics like Dr. Chris Shaw of the University of British Columbia report about 120,000 trees were cut for roads, venues, legacy trails and ski jumps; with over 800 trees cut down in Whistler for a Celebration Plaza. And yes, on paper the 2010 Olympics boast of “full compliance with environmental regulations”, but are those regulations worthy of a gold medal or a disappointing 10th place finish?
Could it be time for the Olympics to decentralize to multiple locations instead of having one main location to avoid all the extra travel for each Games? Possibly skiing held in one country, skating in another, etc. so as to avoid high venue cost and underutilization?
Additional background on Olympic green plans is at Environmental Issues for Olympic Games .
Bev Yaworski - Bev Yaworski is a published writer and photographer for magazines such as Green & Organic Lifestyles, various parenting publications such ...
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