Olympics nab bronze for green efforts

jeff hodson/metro vancouver

David Suzuki, right, with alpine skier Kelly VanderBeek at the Pan Pacific Hotel yesterday, awarded the Vancouver Olympics a bronze medal for their environmental efforts.

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Published: February 04, 2010 5:28 a.m.

Last modified: February 04, 2010 1:30 a.m.

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The Games have yet to begin, but VANOC has already been awarded a bronze medal for its environmental efforts.

The David Suzuki Foundation (DSF) said Vancouver’s Olympics made it onto the podium because they will primarily use energy from clean sources and will leave a legacy of energy-efficient buildings.

The foundation also said the Games fell short by not leaving a legacy of sustainable transportation and hasn’t — at least so far — inspired the public with solutions to climate change.

“A bronze is great, but we could have done better,” said David Suzuki. “I’m pleased that we’ve set a bar now and we can all aim for something higher.”

The DSF also applauded VANOC’s efforts to offset carbon emissions and its championing of public transit during the Games. It is estimated that the Vancouver Olympics will have reduced its overall emissions by 15 per cent, or 57,000 tonnes of GHG emissions.

Linda Coady, VANOC’s vice-president of sustainability, said organizers were happy with the bronze, but hoped the medal would transmute to silver or gold as much of their public outreach is planned for Games time.

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