As the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony nears, access to certain parts of the city will require QR codes due to security measures. Within this secure perimeter, organizers have been working for years to ensure these Games are the most sustainable ever. Major initiatives include using 95% existing venues, all powered by renewable energy, and offering twice as many plant-based food options.
Organizers have also adopted creative strategies to reduce environmental impact, such as crafting medals from Eiffel Tower iron, making coffee tables from recycled badminton shuttlecocks, and using drone-like buoys to protect delicate ecosystems.
1. Medals Crafted from Eiffel Tower Iron
The medals, a coveted prize for athletes, will feature a unique piece of Paris’s iconic Eiffel Tower. Each medal will contain 18 grams of original iron from the Eiffel Tower, embedded at its core to emphasize the circular economy. This iron was removed and preserved during past renovation projects, and the Eiffel Tower’s operating company has now allowed these historical pieces to find new significance.
The gold and silver for the medals are entirely recycled and certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council. The bronze medals are made from a copper, tin, and zinc alloy sourced from repurposed metal scraps from other productions by the Monnaie de Paris, the government entity responsible for minting France’s coins.
2. Coffee Tables Made from Recycled Shuttlecocks
The Olympic Village, the primary residence for athletes and delegations during the Games, serves as a prime location to highlight Paris 2024’s environmental and social goals. In an effort to showcase sustainability, coffee tables within the village are made from recycled badminton shuttlecocks, underlining the commitment to innovative reuse and waste reduction.
3. A Second Life for 7,000 Toilet Brushes
Furnishing the Games’ venues and accommodating athletes, volunteers, and personnel require numerous items—620,000 in total, which is 25% less than originally anticipated. This inventory includes 180,000 clothes hangers, 16,000 beds and bedside tables, 6,000 toilet roll holders, 1,400 microwaves, 7,000 toilet brushes, and 2,200 parasols. Paris 2024 has committed to giving all equipment and furniture a second life through resale, recovery, or donation. For example, the Village’s 16,000 mattresses and pillows will be donated for reuse to beneficiaries like the Paris Opera ballet school.
4. Drone-Like Buoys
Part of the sailing competitions for Paris 2024 will take place near Calanques National Park in Marseille, home to the protected Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows. This seagrass, known as “the lungs of the Mediterranean,” can absorb as much carbon dioxide as 37 acres of rainforest. To protect this habitat, organizers plan to use geo-positioned buoys during the competitions to avoid anchoring in sensitive areas. Traditional buoys use anchors that can damage the seagrass, releasing carbon into the environment. The “drone-like” buoys were successfully tested during the sailing test event in Marseille in July 2023.
5. Electric Boats for the Opening Ceremony
The Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony will be held on the river Seine, rather than in a stadium, marking a historic first for the Games. This unique setting provides an opportunity to promote the energy transition of boats on the river. During the ceremony, around 30 parade boats will be electrically propelled, with Haropa Port supporting the electrification of port quays with 78 charging points. Cécile Avezard, director general of Voies Navigables de France, commented, “The Paris 2024 Games organized around the river demonstrate what waterways can bring to the sustainable city of tomorrow.”
These initiatives are part of broader efforts to address environmental challenges, including concerns about heat for athletes and spectators, the cleanliness of the Seine for swimming, and calls for significant environmental changes from sponsors.
Source: CNA