Wetlands at the Olympic Park
(image via: LOCOG/Olympics2012)
250 acres of new parklands with thousands of new trees and 300,000 wetland plants were created for London’s Olympic Park, representing the United Kingdom’s largest-ever urban river and wetland planting. The north Olympic Park is formerly a 100-year-old landfill site, and once the Olympics are over they’ll be a peaceful refuge for both people and wildlife, also serving as a floodwater buffer.
Locally Sourced Food – Even at McDonald’s
(images via: LOCOG/london2012)
Much of the food served at the Olympics, including fruits, vegetables, organic milk, cheeses, meats, sustainable fish and cage-free eggs, was sourced in the United Kingdom. And yes – that includes the food being served by McDonald’s. If only the fast food chain would stick to this scheme after the Olympics. The London Olympics committee certainly hopes that they will, or that the experience will at least inspire lasting change of some kind. Part of the purpose behind the local food decree was encouraging Britons and Olympic visitors to eat more healthfully and responsibly.
Real-Time Energy Monitoring System
(images via: visualizing data)
The Olympic Games’ official energy provider, EDF, is giving the public a real-time look at energy consumption at each individual Olympic venue including the Olympic Park, Aquatics Center, Velodrome and Basketball Arena. ‘Power the Games Live’ gives you a monitoring dashboard called ‘Visi’ that shows daily, weekly, monthly and annual power usage as well as outside temperature, rainfall and daylight/competition hours. It’s a handy way for the public to keep tabs on one of the least environmentally friendly aspects of the Games.
Eco, Green-Roofed Housing for Athletes
(images via: ian patterson)
Athlete housing at the Olympic Village isn’t exactly luxurious – it’s more like college dorms. And while the eco-factors of these facilities pale in comparison to the athletes’ digs in Vancouver, they’re certainly notable. Green roofs make up 40% of the roof space, and the buildings are highly energy-efficient. The village achieved one of the highest green building certifications in the United Kingdom.

