London Olympics 2012 – going for green? 

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) aims to deliver venues, facilities and infrastructure for the 2012 games in a sustainble manner by concentrating on energy- saving schemes, the use of alternative energy sources and recycling.

The organisers have set the following environmental targets:

• The Olympic village will be 25% more energy-efficient and carbon emissions will be reduced by 50% for the whole development compared with current building regulations; 
• renewable energy wlll provide 20% of the energy for the Olympic Park and Village;
• 20% less water than average will be used by the Olympic village;
• 20% of the materials used to construct the venues and 90% of demolished buildings will be reused or recycled, and;
• 50 km of new cycling routes and 30km of new walking routes will be built. 

Tony Blair welcomed the strategy, telling The Guardian newspaper that London "will use sustainable building methods, renewable energy and low-emission transport, all with the purpose of reducing the carbon footprint".

Chairman of the London 2012 organising committee, Lord Coe, added: "We intend to set the very highest standards in sustainability and legacy for other games to follow."

However, London Assembly Green party member Darren Johnson expressed disappointment that the plans did not go far enough and that only 20% of the energy used at the games would come from renewable sources.

"The government has a target for making all new homes carbon-neutral by 2016, but if we can't get a showpiece development like the Olympic village right by 2012 there is not a lot of hope for 2016." 

He added that the level of individual water-use intended for the village was almost twice the London Mayor’s target of 70 litres.