Commission for a Sustainable London 2012 » one year to go http://www.cslondon.org Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:33:32 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4 Conversation killer Queen http://www.cslondon.org/2011/08/conversation-killer-queen/ http://www.cslondon.org/2011/08/conversation-killer-queen/#comments Mon, 01 Aug 2011 15:28:35 +0000 Shaun McCarthy http://www.cslondon.org/?p=1559 Read more ]]> A couple of years ago I was invited to speak at a conference organised for university purchasing consortia (I get all the good gigs!) I was asked to give the opening keynote speech but I was told that I would be following a “motivational speaker”. I have done this before and was quite relaxed about it; these people usually get the audience in a good mood before I put them to sleep. I did not realise until the evening before the event that the motivational speaker was Lenny Henry! However, having experienced Lenny as my warm up act did not prepare me for the event in the Aquatic Centre where I had Queen as my backing band. I was doing an interview for BBC Radio London when the speakers started booming out a medley of Queen hits to accompany a synchronised swimming demonstration in the diving pool. That pretty much summed up the first part of the day, organised chaos with a huge scrum of media people all talking at once. The BBC people were great, ushering me from interview to interview. Part of our duty is to communicate and we did lots of that on the day.

The early evening event, well organised by the ODA, was very different. 1,600 guests were invited to celebrate one year to go with the first dive into the pool by Tom Daley and a unique swimming race featuring medal winning athletes, but most of them not for swimming. All I can say about that is that as a swimmer, Tessa Sanderson throws a mean javelin. From a sustainability standpoint it was mixed. The audience was very inclusive, lots of local school kids and local residents who responded to advertising in the local media. All races, colours and abilities seemed to be there and very few white blokes in suits (like me). However I was disappointed to see naff plastic flags on every seat which served no useful purpose at all and just littered the venue after the event. I have no idea what they were made of, where they were made and where they will go when somebody has swept them off the floor. Our commissioner Neil Taylor took a load home for his kids so I suppose that is re-use of a sort. The food was healthy and fresh (and free), served on cardboard platters with wooden forks. However there was far too much and much was wasted. I was not impressed with what I saw of the waste management either, all waste in one bin with no evidence of segregation. All lessons to be learned for The Big One next year.

A final word for the Aquatic Centre. We have been very rude about this building and have been unstinting in our criticism of its relative lack of sustainability. I still think 3,000 tonnes is too much metal to put a roof over a swimming pool but the building is stunning inside. The atmosphere created by 17,000 spectators will be an inspiration. However, I still prefer the velodrome!

 

Shaun McCarthy

July 2011

]]> http://www.cslondon.org/2011/08/conversation-killer-queen/feed/ 0 Marking One Year to Go until the start of the Olympic Games http://www.cslondon.org/2011/07/one-year-to-go-until-the-start-of-the-olympic-games/ http://www.cslondon.org/2011/07/one-year-to-go-until-the-start-of-the-olympic-games/#comments Wed, 27 Jul 2011 08:47:32 +0000 jemmapercy http://www.cslondon.org/?p=1547 Read more ]]> Click here to view the embedded video.

With only one year to go, the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012, the independent body established to assure and monitor the sustainability of the London 2012 Games, recognises the progress and achievements made to help deliver the most sustainable Games ever.

Progress and achievements include the Olympic Delivery Authority’s (ODA) exemplary performance in sustainable construction which is already transforming the industry, and London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games’ (LOCOG) ambitious plans for Games-time food and waste, which has been delivered through their excellent sustainable procurement code.

Nonetheless, it is also true, that there have been significant opportunities missed to promote sustainability around the globe such as the failure to meet the renewable energy targets and to deliver a low-carbon Olympic and Paralympic torch.

Shaun McCarthy, Chair of the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012, said:

“In the next 12 months, it is essential to be as focused on sustainability as we were at the bid stage. The biggest danger is complacency as the emphasis shifts to the sporting events next July and August. LOCOG must maximise the impact of symbols such as the Olympic and Paralympic cauldron and draw on the breadth and reach of Olympic and Paralympic sponsors to spread the sustainability message of London 2012 globally.”

He continued:

“Gold medal success is within LOCOG’s grasp and with it comes the potential to transform the way millions of people around the globe think about sport, major events and sustainability. However, if we don’t deliver on the promised post-Games sustainable legacy, history will be a harsh judge of London 2012. Now is the time for the bodies responsible for legacy to create and deliver a sustainable future.”

 

A selection of coverage for the Commission on One year to go:

Radio 5 Live (this clip expires 03/08/2011)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b012njpx

BBC World Service – Radio

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00j0kzf#p00jfm35

BBC World Service – Television

Unavailable at present  

BBC Radio London (this clip expires 03/08/2011)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00j0vg6

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