Olympic Games are a platform for international sportsmen to compete with each other for the pride of their country.The games motivate players to get the best out of them by honoring top players with medals.Apart from games, Olympics are responsible for producing garbage and other pollutants on a very large scale and tie itself to the issue of refuse and sustainability. Moreover, Olympics have also inspired people to become eco-conscious by introducing recycling and recreating concept.
- Rio 2016 Olympic torch made from recycled Aluminum
The President of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, has unveiled the torch lighted in the 2016 Rio Olympics, at a special ceremony held on 3 July 2015 in the capital of Brazil. The main attraction of this torch is that it is made from recycled aluminum and resin with a stain finish.
The torch’s design is in such a way that the torchbearer’s grip is closer to the torch’s center of gravity and the lightweight improves the experience of the torchbearers. The torch has different segments, which expand when the Olympic flame passes from one torchbearer to another. It is a symbol of sustaining environment by recycling and reusing aluminum
- Gorgeous Chandelier made from Coca Cola bottles
Image Source : Inhabitat.Com
Sarah Turner, an eco-artist, created a massive lighting recycled sculpture for the hospitality center at the London 2012 Olympic Games.Commissioned by Coca-Cola Company, she created five lights in total with each light made up of 190 plastic Coca-Cola bottles. Each light consist of rings of plastic bottles with a globe in its center.
The globe centered at each light was made of 30 Coca Cola bottles, which are hand cut and given decorative forms. The globe’s design has given the name, Sarah’s Cola 30 design. Eco-conscious people praised this project due to the use of Coca Cola bottles, which were garbage otherwise.
- Rio 2016 Olympic medals
Image Source : Smsprio2016-a.Akamaihd.Net
The medals of Rio 2016 Olympics bear a design, which honors the relationship between the strength of Olympic heroes and the forces of nature and have created with keeping sustainability in mind.Gold used in medals has extracted using a process that does not use mercury for extraction and 30-percent recycled materials have used in manufacturing silver and bronze medals.
The ribbons used to hang these medals around the neck of the athletes consist of 50-percent recycled plastic from bottles.These medals are a true sign of inspiration for people to become more eco-conscious.
- Olympic rings made of recycled plastics
Image Source : Ichef-1.Bbci.Co.Uk
The Olympic rings that are currently decorating the Copacabanabeach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were made by using recycled plastics. The creator behind these rings is a man named Dopper and is currently working as a producer of refillable bottles.The Olympic rings created by Dopper emerged as a major theme of Olympic Games. Inspired by these rings, a speculation arises that the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will possibly use these rings to promote a circular economy.
Other Achievements
Image Source : Ichef.Bbci.Co.Uk
The 2012 London Olympics credits itself as the most sustainable games by using 90% of demolition waste and sending zero waste to the landfill. 2012 London games was awarded at sixth International Sports Event Management Awards for their achievements towards sustainability like saving 4000,000 tons of carbon dioxide and saving 99% of waste from building and decommissioning venues.In addition, The Sydney Games in 2000 also addressed themselves for their approach toward sustainability.
These eco-friendly moves made at these Olympics is a good sign of achieving greener sports. Moreover, these moves are Olympics attraction for eco-conscious people and inspire every country to host a sustainable Olympics .