Pyeongchang dreams of eco-friendly Olympics
Published: 02 Mar. 2015, 00:24
During the World Baseball Classic in Japan in 2009, signs around the Tokyo Dome captured the attention of the media and the audience. “The Power of Baseball Can Stop Global Warming!” It was an environment campaign about saving about 435 kWh of electricity by reducing the duration of the game by 6 percent on average.
Integrating seemingly unrelated two subjects, baseball and global warming, was a great success, and environment has become a favorite topic in major international games since.
Sports have become something beyond leisure, now with mission to save the environment. As sports have universal influence on the mankind as a whole, the environmentally friendly message through sports have great impact on our lives. Leading countries in sports, such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, actively promote the coexistence of sports and the environment, building environmentally friendly stadiums and star athletes engaging in environmental campaigns.
Reflecting the trend, the Winter Olympics to be held in Pyeongchang in 2018 aims for environmental Olympics. Renewable energy power generation, the priority purchase of green products, the expansion of infrastructure for electric car-charging facilities and the use of electric vehicles minimize carbon emission. Also, introducing a rainwater recycling system, the construction of the sports complex over a landfill and planting forests to offset carbon emissions would make the event environmentally friendly and sustainable.
Around this time three years from now, the Olympics will be in full swing in Pyeongchang. The region could become an international destination after the Olympics. As Korea establishes itself as an environmental leader with the preemptive implementation of an emission-trading scheme and the hosting of the Green Climate Fund headquarters, the Pyeongchang Olympics will be the opportunity to maximize Korea’s presence in environmental initiatives. We hope to see the harmonious development of sports and growth bloom there.
Lee Si-jin, Chairman of the board, the Korea Environment Corporation
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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