The 2012 Olympic Games offered a platform for the U.K. government — which has long supported efforts to draw attention to the dangers of global warming and bolster
green initiatives — to demonstrate its commitment to sustainability. And the London Games delivered on that commitment, reusing almost 100 percent of demolition waste, sending zero waste to the landfill, and using 30 to 40 percent less drinkable water than is standard at the Games’ venues. The effort to manage waste responsibly started with London’s bid for the Olympics nearly a
decade ago. “Our vision [was] to use the power of the Games to inspire lasting change,” said David Stubbs, head of sustainability efforts for the 2012 Olympic Games, who has held that position since 2003. “For six weeks in the summer of 2012, the eyes of the world [were] on London. But for seven years before, and for many years afterwards, we will have changed and will be changing the way we impact on people, industry, and the planet.”
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High Scores The Velodrome was one of the London Olympics’ most sustainable venues, from the construction materials used to a 100-percent natural ventilation system.
Growth Plant More than 300,000 wetland plants were grown in Thetford, Norfolk, in preparation for the U.K.’s largest-ever urban-river and wetland planting within the 100-hectare Olympic Park.