We’re halfway through the first week of the 2016 Summer Olympics and I don’t know about you, but I’ve been rushing home every day after work and settling in to watch hours of coverage late into the night. This year, environmental issues surrounding the games made headlines well before the cauldron was lit.
First, there’s the ever-present threat of the Zika virus that has been looming over Rio de Janeiro, even causing some Olympians to drop out of the games altogether. Rio is highlighted on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s map of areas for pregnant women to avoid due to its elevation. Some pressured the World Health Organization (WHO) to relocate or postpone the games, but in the end WHO determined there was “no public health justification” to not move forward with the event as planned.
For Olympic rowers, sailors, swimmers and anyone else entering Guanabara Bay, water quality was—and still is—top of mind. Reports of untreated sewage, trash and maybe even furniture have been cause for concern among athletes and tourists alike. WHO has been working with the International Olympic Committee, providing technical advice on health issues associated with water quality, but this is a great reminder to us all about the importance of keeping pollution out of our waterways.
Most recently, the Olympic diving pool took a turn for the green Tuesday. While Olympic organizers say there is no threat to athletes, some experts say the still-unexplained green hue means there is some kind of breakdown in the disinfectant process, which can lead to bacterial growth. The most likely explanation, as given by Rio spokesman Mario Andrada, is that the combination of heat and still air caused a sudden abundance of algae.
But it’s not all dire. Environmentalism took center stage at the Opening Ceremony, with a video outlining the effects of climate change playing before each country’s delegation entered the arena carrying seeds. Each seed is that of a tree native to Brazil and will be planted in the new Athletes’ Park. The forest will be home to 207 different species of trees—one for each country represented in the Olympics.
While for some of us the Olympics are a point of national pride, reminding us of the immense talent that exists among athletes across our country, this year they’ve also reminded us of the preciousness of our natural resources and the importance of environmental responsibility.
