How fitting it would be at this time to reflect upon the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver Canada.

Did you know that some eco-friendly oriented websites were taking note of the practices that were implemented to reduce carbon footprints?

Measures were put into place beforehand to reduce carbon emissions as much as possible and put the "eco-friendly" spin on as many items as possible.

The Olympic Torch run was to use much simpler and wiser transportation choices during it's journey.

Coca-Cola was to ensure that over 90% of it's waste would not go into the landfills, but head to the recycling centre in Richmond BC instead. They would also buy carbon offsets as recommended by the David Suzuki Foundation.

Panasonic would sponsor a youth video contest to offset their carbon emissions (over 400 tons) and create an exhibit for initiatives towards sustainability called "Eco Ideas."

The Atheletes Village was built to house over 3000 people, and meet "gold certification" by the Canada Green Building Council.

As a result of a design competition, the Olympic Medals were made from recycled electronics.

The greenest hotels in Vancouver were to be utilized for guests.

These are just a few of the many plans in mind for reducing carbon footprints during the Olympic Games.

On the other hand, some reports out there have come up with their own list of failures to meet many aspects of reducing those footprints, which include items like:

- the paving over of an endangered wetland to facilitate parking

- unnecessary use of SUV's many times over to facilitate travel for a few, when trains or buses for many to get around at once in one trip would have been more efficient

- unnecessary lighting left running 24 hours per day

- hundreds of trees cut to accommodate a celebration venue

- endangered species habitat destroyed to accommodate highway upgrades

- pollution impact from trucking snow

- overall claim to carbon neutrality, but emitting 1/3 only of carbon emissions

These are just a handfull of the claims (good and bad) on both sides of the carbon-footprint issue.

I watched alot of the games on television, and I must say overall, I thought the opening ceremonies were fantastic. I thought the events were quite exciting.

As a Canadian, I certainly felt a sense of pride at the moments when medals were won, no matter what standing they represented.

Regarding carbon footprints, I would like to believe that the good intention was there to make this event as "carbon neutral" as possible.

I also believe that if the "ball got dropped on certain promises" it's a good thing that it is brought to the attention of the public.

Watchful eyes can only mean improvement for future events such as this no matter where they are held globally.


As others strive to do their part towards green-living-improvements, let's still continue to do ours!

Until next time,

Jane