Journey of Harmony

Torch Carbon Foot Print
I discussed yesterday about the protests surrounding the Olympic torch and its relay around the world. Which got me thinking about the torch itself, who designed it, whats it made of, and how does it get from country to country? And, courtesy of GreenDaily, what is the environmental impact this torch relay? Well your answers and mine, are about to be had!

Lenovo, yes the computer company, designed the torch for the 2008 games, while the flame element was designed by the Chinese aerospace industries. It is cast out of aluminum, stands 28.35 inches tall (72 cm) and weighs slightly more than two pounds (985 kg). Traditional Chinese artistry adorns the torch, which resembles traditional scrolls . The flame element is able to stay lit in winds of up to ~40 mph (65 kph) and in rains of approximately two inches an hour (50 mm/hour). The 'green' side of the torch is that the materials are recyclable and the propane fuel meets environmental requirements. Makes for a beautiful torch, but what about environmental beauty?

The torch relay is the longest in history, with the IOC stating that the journey will span nearly 85,000 miles. The flame, when not being carried by relay members or being doused by fire-extinguisher wielding protesters, travels on a custom Airbus A330, the Journey of Harmony, complete with custom paint job. The A330, according to Wired, the A330 burns through 5.3 gallons of fuel PER mile. Talk about crappy mpg! Earthlab calculates that for the entire trip, the A330 will use ~462,000 gallons of jet fuel, netting around 5,500 TONS of CO2.

If you add this, plus the huge investments of energy and raw materials to build the new Olympic facilities, you wonder if the Olympics are really worth it from an environmental standpoint? Why are we awarding countries that do not have facilities prior to the games? Why do knew ones have to be built? Why, like in Atlanta in 1996, do the facilities get torn down after the games? There are already several world class facilities already available, why not award only those cities to chance to host the games? Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, I think the IOC could use a lesson in the basic three. I'm still excited for the games...119 Days!