February 01 2010 » » CTV - Olympics, via Globe and Mail
Inspiration Glows with a Shade of Green
Amy Verner
‘This is zero calories, not zero waste,” Laurie Gallant said, pointing to a bottle of Coke Zero on Saturday in Smithers, B.C., just minutes after watching the Olympic Torch Relay pass through the town’s main street.
Yesterday, the environmental consultant and entrepreneur was one of 16 eco-conscious locals selected to carry the torch in nearby Terrace on behalf of the World Wildlife Federation.
But for all the excitement and pride she feels, Ms. Gallant knows she’s partaking in an event that is leaving a rather large carbon footprint, from the convoy’s exhaust emissions to the souvenirs.
“A lot of giveaways are probably going to end up in our landfills,” said Ms. Gallant, whose company, Footprint BC, develops programs on recycling and sustainability with companies, schools and native communities.
She’s right; there are a lot of giveaways. RBC’s team hands out branded tambourines and balloon noisemakers, while Coke has been distributing aluminum bottles of soda, plastic commemorative bottles with LED lights, and flags.
The cynical viewpoint would be that the relay is little more than an exercise in coast-to-coast brand building. But with all signs pointing to Vancouver 2010 being the greenest Winter Olympics on record, many initiatives have been put in place to create a greener Torch Relay.
Those bottles, for instance, are made from recycled material. As part of the relay, RBC has created an “Eco-Home” powered by solar panels, and a solar water tank provides radiant heating to its truck. According to an RBC fact sheet, net carbon emissions associated with RBC vehicles, air, rail travel, hotel accommodations and other relay logistics have been neutralized through carbon offsets. The torchbearer kit included recycled plastic banners that turn into tote bags.
From a flight between Fort Nelson and Terrace yesterday, Torch Relay program director Jim Richards said the relay addresses environmental concerns without making them an overzealous focus.
“Did we want to build a relay as green as possible or did we want to inspire and engage an entire nation? When we weighed the priorities, we were going to give presence to the inspirational [element],” he said, noting that prospective torchbearers were encouraged to suggest ways to make their lives greener.
WWF-Canada sat on the judging panel, selecting individuals for their commitment to active living and environmental sustainability. The WWF’s presence in the relay is largely owing to its year-old relationship with Coke; in Canada, Coca-Cola donated $1-million to a four-year water stewardship partnership. The company also gave $200,000 to the organization’s polar bear campaign and $150,000 for Earth Hour.
“This is an issue that touches fabric of everyone’s life,” said Gerald Butts, president and CEO of WWF-Canada. Having carried the torch in Toronto, Mr. Butts said the Terrace team showcases a range of people committed to the Northern Coast’s wildlife and watershed concerns.
Among yesterday’s runners was Ali Howard, who swam all 610 kilometres of the Skeena River to raise awareness about conservation of the waterway, and Norma Kerby, an environmental educator at Northwest Community College in Terrace.
“It’s so important to bring conservation issues from the global to local level,” said Mike Ambach, who oversees the WWF’s office in Prince Rupert along with James Casey. Both men were also torchbearers yesterday.
For those who can’t reconcile why the WWF would accept support from a company like Coca-Cola, Mr. Butts offered his take: “You can rail against the fact that they exist or help them improve. We have clearly chosen the latter path.”
Still, the WWF is limited in how it can spread its message during the Olympics. “Sponsorship is well beyond our financial capacity and there are rules in how you use Olympics in marketing,” he said.
“Some would say that we’re missing a big marketing opportunity, but it’s not really about marketing. I think Coke’s installation will be the greenest installation; we’ve been a part of that but we don’t want to overclaim our role.”
Meanwhile, Ms. Gallant of Footprint BC believes that despite such positive steps as Coke’s recycled plastic uniforms, the relay’s sponsors missed a big opportunity to support local communities. “You know what would have been cool? If Coca-Cola donated $5,000 in every community to help with recycling programs.”
Yet she ultimately had no second thoughts about carrying the flame. “I’m looking at this as setting the foundation for a greener Olympics in the future,” she said. “I’m getting in on the ground floor.”
