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Archive for March 4th, 2010

I Was There: Vancouver Olympics 2010

Thursday, March 4th, 2010

This is a guest post by Brooke Lusk, who finds a great deal of joy in meeting new people and animals, enjoying good music, and traveling in her new home state of Oregon. Some of her favorite ways to stay environmentally friendly are testing homemade/natural beauty recipes, composting, and supporting local farmers and small businesses who maintain green practices.

I wasn’t sure what to expect of my trip to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, since I would be traveling with 50 teenagers. I went to Vancouver as a mentor to at-risk teens through a program of The Foundation for Global Sports Development. I’m so glad I kept an open mind because the experience was truly unforgettable.

First Impressions

As we wandered around the city on the Thursday before the Opening Ceremonies, the growing anticipation of the games was palpable in the air. The Vancouver metro area had transformed into a hub of Olympic excitement.

In less than 24 hours, the city would become an intersection of cultures, filling the streets with the sounds of different languages and dialects. However, despite all the differences, a common sense of joy, good will, and healthy competition was evident in everyone’s interactions.

Olympic Rings at 2010 Vancouver Olympics

The Cultural Experience of the Olympics

It was the cultural aspect of the Olympics that I found most appealing. We spent some time at the Museum of Anthropology at UBC, which houses a fascinating collection of cultural artifacts and information. We also enjoyed Chinese New Year celebrations, and some of us were lucky enough to sit next to a group of costumed and very enthusiastic Swiss fans during the USA Men’s Hockey game against Switzerland.

One particularly exciting moment was when a bunch of the teenagers with my program, many of whom are from Mexico, got to meet the single Mexican Olympian! This friendly exchange of cultures is truly integral to the Olympic spirit.

Olympic Coffee Volunteer

How Green Were the Vancouver Olympics?

Vancouver did, in my opinion, a great job of hosting these Olympics, despite reported lack of snow (many interviewed athletes said the conditions were fine) and a few other incidents. In regards to hosting an environmentally friendly and inclusive Olympics, The Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) included the first-nation tribes and metropolitan residents as they moved forward to host what has been called the “greenest” Olympic games yet.

There was busing from Vancouver to Whistler and Cypress Mountain that reduced carbon emissions, spectators and residents were strongly encouraged to use public transportation (and many did!), and a variety of recycling options were available everywhere.

I’m sure there are ways VANOC could have done even more to reach their green objectives, but this Olympics was a great step forward in environmentally-conscious thinking.