The London Olympics were one of the Games that most emphatically proposed the concept of sustainability as part of the legacy these games left, especially in the east of the British capital.
From cleaning up the Lea and Bowback rivers to the so-called soil hospital, which was responsible for curing and recycling almost 80 per cent of the land that was repurposed to fill space taken from old heavy industry factories in the area. , the London project achieved the following results: Some aspects are currently being replicated and even optimized by the Paris 2024 organization.
Georgina Glennon is an Argentine based in France and an expert in innovation in renewable and clean energy. More than that, she is also the engineer responsible for the sustainability field of the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee.
With less than 100 days until the opening ceremony, she addressed one of the concerns expressed in the international press and media around the world: the Seine being ready for open water and triathlon competitions. , said: We will investigate the causes of pollution and resolve them one by one. It's still a work in progress, but it's expected to be clean by July. Her four reasons causing pollution have been resolved. Therefore, we are confident that we have the necessary water quality. Some tests didn't work because they weren't completed,” explained Glennon, who has been working on durability issues for 20 years.
Works related to the Seine had different focuses, but the basic issue was the construction of a large retention pool next to Gare Austerlitz to prevent water from flowing directly into the river during heavy rains. Was that. Construction of a water treatment plant was also underway to treat the water. Mr Glennon asserted that three areas of the Seine will be open for swimming from 2025, saying: “This will be part of the city's lasting Olympic legacy.”
Since the conception of the Paris 2024 Games, the organizing committee has been committed to making them as responsible as possible, setting the stage for 2015 with a commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 50% compared to the previous Olympic Games. We have complied with the Paris Agreement. One of the first decisions made was not to build. Although only a few were built, they were built with 30% less carbon emissions than current construction. This goal was achieved by applying new technology and using 100% renewable energy. “We like to talk about immaterial heritage, how to inspire future festivals and mega-events, how to build new things, how to buy things,” Glennon said in an interview with Argentine television. ” he said.
“To make a game, we need 6 million objects. Currently, 90% of those objects already have a guaranteed second life. We believe that just as everything has an afterlife, We're completely rethinking how we supply these objects. We also tried to avoid having anything with the Paris 2024 logo on it, because once it's branded, it can't be reused due to property protection issues. ,” Glennon explained as one of the conceptual seals of her field. “We strive to tackle not only our carbon footprint, but also our material footprint. It's as if we've created a grocery list with everything we need for the Olympics. This will help us reduce our impact. We were able to understand what we needed to do to alleviate this.”
Together with the City of Paris, the French State, the International Olympic Committee and our sponsors, the goal of organizing an environmentally friendly Olympic and Paralympic Games is a daunting task. Food services also need to be rethought to reduce their carbon footprint. Thirteen million meals will be served during the Games, and villages will need to supply 40,000 menu items each day. “There will be more vegetables supplied than in a typical French catering service. 80% of the ingredients will be sourced from France, with a further 25% coming from 250 kilometers around the venue where the food will be served. “It will be done,” Glennon said.
Fans coming to enjoy the Olympics are advised to use reusable bottles, as refillable fountains will be installed at all official venues for Paris 2024. We also recommend using public transportation, considering that Paris can be crowded in August. Since it is the summer holiday season and the majority of permanent residents leave Paris, ridership on the Paris metro, bus and train networks is down by 30%.
