Greening the Olympics

More than ever before, environmental issues are in the forefront during these Olympic Games. China's environmental problems are well known (air pollution, water scarcity, poor water quality, etc), but to their credit the Chinese have been making a concerted effort to compensate by adopting green building techniques, enacting sustainable community development practices, and making Beijing a model for net zero pollution. According to an article in Scientific American (August 4, 2008), China's efforts to make the 2008 games the first "Green Olympics" include:

• Planting trees
• Closing 1,000 small coal mines before and during the games
• Banning up to a million cars from city streets
• Incorporating green building technologies at the Beijing National Stadium such as a rainwater collection arrangement, a natural ventilation system, and a clear roof with inflatable cushions made from ETFE
• Designing the Aquatic Center (aka the Water Cube) with ETFE pillows, and designing it such that when it has finished serving its purpose as an Olympic venue, it can be converted to a shopping area and leisure center with tennis courts, retail outlets, nightclubs and restaurants
• Powering the lighting outside all seven of the Olympic stadiums, as well as the entire hot water supply for the Olympic Village, by solar and wind energy
• Investing in expensive energy-efficient heating and transportation equipment that will greatly improve environmental quality for decades throughout the city of Beijing and beyond.

Other interesting articles about China's efforts toward a Green Olympics:

Beijing Orders its Pollution to Vanish: Time Magazine, 7/14/08

7 Amazing Olympic Green Buildings: Jetson Green, 8/8/08

For the Olympics, Will Beijing Paint the Town Green?: Treehugger.com, 2/21/07