It is indisputable that the Olympic Games remains one of the most celebrated events in history. Held once every four years, the Olympic Games not only attracts massive numbers of spectators eager to catch sporting action, but also extensive coverage from media houses eager to capture the latest updates. A study by the International Olympic Committee (2021) reported that the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games had a viewership of 3.05 billion — an all-time high. I was one of the 3.05 billion myself, watching excitedly as national swimmer Joseph Schooling fought to the finish line (and I am sure you would have, too).
But the grandeur of the Olympic Games goes beyond huge crowds and widespread publicity — it is also evident in the placemaking strategies that policymakers adopt to uplift their cities’ urban image (De Brito and Richards, 2017). Iconic stadiums and recreational infrastructure pepper cities’ skylines, not only creating an artistic spectacle but also painting pictures of liveable homes. Such is the case for the Chinese city of Beijing — during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, multiple sports and recreational venues like the Beijing National Stadium were constructed, adding vibrancy to Beijing’s landscape.
The iconic Beijing National Stadium that was home to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games (National Geographic, n.d.)
Beneath the glitz and glamour of the Olympic Games lies a grim reality, however. Across various stages of the Olympic Games, from initial preparations to actual matches, significant amounts of pollution are being generated through human activities. These include the transportation of athletes and spectators to venues in carbon-intensive transport modes, display of light shows, and many others that remain unseen to the public but hurt the ecosystem equally deeply. Yet, such anthropogenic pollution is only likely to worsen, given the established nature and sheer scale of the Olympic Games that make it challenging to implement environmental reforms in the short-term (Clark, 2016).
Smog-filled skies in Beijing during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games (Jamieson, 2009)
This is why I started ‘Quit Playing Games (With Our Earth)’ — to shed light on this pressing issue of Olympic pollution that we overlook amidst our enduring focus on the matches (and our favourite athletes). Subsequently, I will not only be exploring the types of pollution produced by the Olympic Games and their impacts, but also the green initiatives that host cities have and will be implementing. Hopefully, as you accompany me on this journey, you will better understand how the Olympic Games contributes to environmental pollution, and be inspired to think about how you can also play a part in making the event a greener one!
References
Clark, S. (2016, August 18). The Environmental Impact Of The Olympics. HuffPost. https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/-frontier/the-environmental-impact-_b_11581162.html
De Brito, M. P., & Richards, G. W. (2017). Events and placemaking. International Journal of Event and Festival Management, 8(1), 8-23. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEFM-09-2016-0063
International Olympics Committee. (2021, December 8). Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 watched by more than 3 billion people [Press release]. https://olympics.com/ioc/news/olympic-games-tokyo-2020-watched-by-more-than-3-billion-people#:~:text=The%20Olympic%20Games%20Tokyo%202020,International%20Olympic%20Committee%20(IOC).&text=A%20total%20of%203.05%20billion,linear%20TV%20and%20digital%20platforms
Jamieson, A. (2009). Beijing Olympics were the most polluted games ever, researchers say [Online image]. The Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/london-2012/5597277/Beijing-Olympics-were-the-most-polluted-games-ever-researchers-say.html
National Geographic. (n.d.). Beijing National Stadium [Online image]. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/photo/tdigh-04-06-olympics/