olympics

A mini-interview with Ken Melamed, the Mayor of Whistler, BC, who talks about how to make a city sustainable in the age of overshoot. Includes mention of the Natural Step & author Torbjorn Lahti.

A delicious bite of green audio gold and curated links to help you see through the smog of injurious CO2 weather reports from the Games.

The issue of climate change as it relates to the Olympic Games has been largely overshadowed by Beijing’s poor air quality. Understandably, Olympic organizers have had their hands full in an attempt to decrease local pollution and improve local air quality over the short-term, leaving little resources for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This is unfortunate given the scale of GHG emissions associated with the Olympics.

Beginning today in Beijing, cars with license plates that end in an odd number are banned from the roads every other day, alternating with cars that have even-numbered plates. It is estimated that there are about 3.5 million vehicles on the roads in Beijing and the ban will reduce the numbers of cars on the road by about one million per day.

With the Olympics arriving in Beijing they have brought with them some strong environmental initiatives that will help keep a tradition of minimizing the carbon footprint of the games. According the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) solar power is being used to light the Olympic Village and the National Stadium, along with lawns, courtyards, and streets at several other venues.

BEIJING (Reuters) - A massive algae bloom that threatened the Olympic Games sailing venue at the Chinese coastal resort of Qingdao has now almost been cleared, state media reported on Wednesday. The picturesque seaside city in northern China's Shandong province had been...

-Diamond Galaxy

In the run up to this summer’s Olympic Games, the city government of Beijing is appealing to its citizens to use green transport as part of their ‘civic’ duty.

Jennifer Turner, Director, China Environment Forum at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, is interviewed on energy demand and environmental conditions in China leading up to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Turner discusses China's long-term energy and environmental concerns, as well.

Choi Seung-kuk, the Secretary General of Green Korea, one of South Korea’s largest environmental organizations, has officially bowed out as an Olympic torch bearer. In a press interview this morning, Mr. Choi cited China’s aggression in Tibet as his main reason for refusing to carry the Olympic torch when it arrives in Seoul, the capital city, on April 27.

The Chinese plan to use cloud seeding to prevent rain during the Beijing Summer Olympics opening ceremonies. The chances of rain on Aug. 8 are close to 50%.

China's thriving economy has opened up new routes for invasive species.

Jacques Rogge, President, International Olympic Committee (IOC), discusses the decision to postpone events at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing due topollution and air quality and how those decisions will be arrived at.

The Olympic Delivery Authority has unveiled a design for its energy centre - complete with a combined cooling, heat and power (CCHP) plant fuelled by sustainable biomass (woodchip) and natural gas.

Beijing’s weather office warned children and the elderly to stay indoors as heavy fog blanketed the city, aggravating the city’s air pollution problem.

Update on the 100-year-old Manor Gardens Allotments, due to be demolished to make a path for the month-long 2012 Olympics, and a rant about why it matters.