Testing sustainability? How so?
October 22nd, 2015
As key as testing the sporting and score-keeping aspects at the competition venues, it is also essential to test the sustainability initiatives in said venues. Rio 2016 is committed to stepping into each venue with the due respect and care for the environment in the places the competitions will happen. Perhaps you are wondering, then, how is it that sustainability gets tested?
All told, 45 test-events will take place before the actual Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, during which time the operations will be scrutinized and undergo the necessary adjustments. All areas of the operation are being tested, including the workforce, volunteers, transportation, food and beverage, score keeping, and, of course, the sustainability initiatives.
As we set about carrying out a competition, wherever it may happen to take place, we make a commitment to leave the place in a state that is the same or better than the one it was in before. Our goal is to leave it even better, as a form of legacy for the city. To that end, we carefully assess the areas where we set up our structures, so that they will not interfere greatly with the local ecosystem.
At the test-events that took place at the “Lagoa”, for example, we checked the environmental conditions of the water every morning, both at the competition venue and in the surrounding area. Regular water quality analyses are carried out with the municipal environmental agency, in addition to the constant cleaning of the “Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas”, in order to properly welcome athletes, and assure fine competitions take place.
On the days when competitions are scheduled, the sustainability team monitors the fuel supply of boats accompanying athletes during said competitions. The task at hand is to control every step of the way, from the handling of fuel, up to the filling up of tanks, to make sure that there are no spills on the “Lagoa”. How is it accomplished? A specialized team ensures the correct supplying of fuel with adequate containment equipment, besides cordoning off the area in case any incident happens.
Also at the “Lagoa Rodrigues de Freitas”, we are also protecting the “quero-quero”, a very well-liked local bird that has already been incorporated into the Cariocas’ (Rio citizens) everyday routine. Prior to the competitions, Rio 2016 teams and volunteer personnel have been trained to respect these birds’ living space, as well as protect their nests from any harm.
And what about the fauna at the venues where the Games will take place? Work is also done with a view to protecting animals living in the competition areas. As long as we are able to assure species are able to remain in their natural habitat, we will be sure we are on the right track.
Another extremely important point as regards the tests involving actions by the area in charge is the checking of accessibility for the elderly, pregnant women, people with disabilities, or people with reduced mobility. The test-events are the opportunity for us to assess such questions, which also entail the issues of signage adequacy, including demarcated parking spaces, accessible toilets, etc. That work also encompasses the assessment of accessibility ramps for wheel chair users, taking into consideration the degree of inclination demanded by Brazilian accessibility norms. The goal of that inspection is to assure that both competition areas and the public are accessible during the Games Time and to leave as much as possible as a legacy for the city.
See below some instances of the sustainability area in action during the test-events.
Taskforce of the Rio 2016 team busy at work removing algae from the “Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas” before the start of the canoeing test-event.
Specialists accompany the monitoring of water quality before competitions at the “Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas”
The protection of the local fauna is one of the key sustainability principles in organizing the Games
Above, at the “Glória” Marina, embarkations used at the competitions were fitted with a protection belt, employed as a preventive measure against oils spills on to the water during the filling up of fuel tanks.