Sports and the Environment

  If I were to ask you what you did during the summer vacation, a large part of you would probably give me an answer concerning sports. I, too, spent half of my summer doing sports activities. Since sports makes up a huge part of our lives, it becomes the center of discussion. Today, people from all fields, politicians, sports authorities, and environmental groups talk about this subject. The impact it gives to the environment and how it helps us maintain sustainable development.

  Sports ties governments’ together, people together and gives us a sense of community. It provides leisure, a base for physical activity, and promotes good health and well being. But, while you are enjoying these things, it also damages our environment. Many sport constructions are increasingly demanding land. By this action, it is jeopardizing many plant and animal species. Other challenges that sports may bring to the environment are the emission of harmful substances during the construction of a sport building that causes either air pollution, water population or the use of non-renewable resources.

  As a result of these consequences, there is a need to solve these problems between sports and the environment for the long term. The Centennial Olympic Congress, Congress of Unity that was held in Paris in 1994, recognized the importance of the environment and sustainable development which led to a paragraph on the Olympic Charter. Part of the work for the International Olympic Committee is to insure the promotion of sustainable development. In 1995, The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) hosted a World Conference on Sport and the Environment. Here, the IOC President Mr. Samaranch expressed: "The International Olympic Committee is resolved to ensure that the environment becomes the third dimension of the organization of the Olympic Games, the first and second being sport and culture.” It was here that the Sports and the Environment working group was established by the International Olympic Committee.

  In one month, the 2008 Olympic Games will be held in Beijing. This will bring pride and eminence to China and the world. So far there are 30,000 volunteers both nationally and internationally. People from all backgrounds and cultures will be gathering in the extraordinary ‘Bird Nest’ for an event that will change their lives. Other than the every day reports of the progress and highlights of this event, you may have also noticed a great number of the reports has to do with environmental protection. Recently, the news have exposed that Beijing will start to ban private cars from hitting the roads. This means that by the Olympics, we will be seeing a more translucent sky. Beijing has already invested 100 million yuan and built a laboratory to monitor and study emissions of motor vehicles.When you walk the streets, the sights of slogans, posters and environmental volunteers fills the once empty spaces, all in hopes of providing a luxurious environment for the whole.
  Here are some ideas and suggestions we can exploit that may help in making sports and the environment more compatible to each other:

1.Encouraging and creating different kinds of sports that are environmentally friendly

2.Building a more environmental infrastructure for sport events

3.Developing rules and regulations for any type of sport constructions especially on vulnerable lands

4.Educating and increasing the awareness of those that are training and doing sports, especially athletes and coaches that are influential

5.Encouraging the use of bicycles that provides a route to sports centers

6.Making buses and trains more popular for a transport during spare time to raise awareness

  We can say that sports and the environment coexists, it will need each other to help us achieve sustainable development. In conclusion, here is what the athletes say about Sports and the Environment.

If Global warming turns the mountains to summer, where am I going to snowboard? --Shaun White, snowboarder

Biking is an outdoor spot. It’s about exploring nature and feeling win in your face and it only works in an intact environment -- Gunn Rita Mountain racer

We are destroying our environment every day; this has to stop for our children and grandchildren. -- Thierry Henry

I breathe at least twice as deeply when I am running. Air pollution is a threat to my health and physical performance. -- Frankie Frederick’s, athlete

Chui Hoi Ting Angel (徐海婷)
7.27.08