7 sustainable measures adopted by the Tokyo 2020 Olympics

After 20 days, the competitions are coming to an end. In an edition marked by the postponement of the games, the pandemic and stadiums without spectators, the organization managed to adopt sustainable measures that, in addition to minimizing the environmental impacts of the event, will also be a legacy for the Japanese capital . Discover 7 measures adopted by Tokyo in these Olympics.

1. Reuse of arenas, sustainable construction and legacy for the city

Of the 43 venues used by the Olympic and Paralympic Games, 25 already existed and 10 are temporary – all were built with the utmost care in saving energy and complying with accessibility standards. The Japan National Stadium , for example, was rebuilt with designs by Zaha Hadid and Kengo Kuma and was completed in 2019. Large eaves and terraces were installed to control wind flow and aid ventilation. The venue for the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the athletics competitions, has wood as one of the main components of its structure – the certified material came from all 47 prefectures of Japan – and also has solar panels and a cistern for collecting rainwater, which is used to irrigate the arena's grass and plants.

Wood is also the main element of Village Plaza , the community space located in the Olympic Village designed by Nikken Sekkei. There are 40,000 pieces of wood that make up a structure that houses a café, banks, medical spaces, commercial spaces and the media center. New buildings, such as the Ariake Arena (which hosts volleyball matches) and the Kasai Canoe Slalom Centre (the canoeing venue) will be used as sports centres after the Olympics, including to host international competitions.

Event centers such as the Makuhari Messe Hall (in Chiba) and the Saitama Super Arena (in Saitama) , which already existed, were repurposed to host taekwondo, fencing, wrestling and basketball competitions. An iconic building in Tokyo, the Budokan was designed by Mamoru Yamada and was built for the 1964 Olympics - in 2021, it will repeat the feat and host the judo competitions. An interesting fact: Odaiba Marine Park , a facility set up for marathon and triathlon swimming events, is located in , an artificial island built based on an architectural project from the 1980s and built on an old landfill.

Today, in addition to being one of the most modern parts of Tokyo, it is a popular tourist hub, as it is home to the Fuji TV building (designed by Pritzker Prize winner Kenzo Tange ), the Mori Building Digital Art Museum (which houses exhibitions by the teamLab collective and was themost visited museum in the world in 2019, according to the Guinness Book ), the life-size Gundam statue and the best view of the Rainbow Bridge and the Olympic arches of Tokyo Bay.

2. Eco-friendly design in Olympic symbols

Theme of controversy and memes on the internet, Cardboard beds were one of the sensations of the games. But sustainable design also gained prominence in the main Olympic symbols: the Olympic cauldron, designed by the Nendo studio , uses hydrogen in the flame, which does not emit carbon dioxide when burned. The same fuel was used in the torch for some parts of the relay - the piece designed by Tokujin Yoshioka was inspired by cherry blossoms and uses construction waste from prefabricated housing units in areas affected by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake. The medals were also made from recycled materials: around 78 tons of electronics and more than 6 million cell phones were donated by the Japanese population to make 5,000 medals . The ribbon that accompanies the medal features traditional Japanese design motifs found in ichimatsu moyo (checkered patterns) and kasane no irome (traditional kimono layering techniques) in a modern presentation. Convex silicone lines are applied to the surface of the ribbon so that anyone can recognize the type of medal (gold, silver or bronze) simply by touching it. Chemically recycled polyester fibers have been used which produce less CO2 during the manufacturing process. The podium where the athletes receive their medals is made of recyclable plastic: the Japanese population participated in a project to collect used plastic and marine plastic debris , and the collected material is used to make the piece designed by TOKOLO Asao , who is also responsible for the Olympic emblems. A 3D printer was used in the process of creating the podium under the direction of Professor Hiroya Tanaka from Keio University.

Tokyo was chosen as the host city for the 2013 Olympics. At the time, Japan was in the midst of rebuilding the eastern part of the country , which had been hit by an earthquake in 2011 (known as the Great Tohoku Earthquake) that also led to the nuclear accident in the Fukushima region. Therefore, using the sporting event to help rebuild the region was a natural path. In addition to the metals used in the torch, the energy used for the cauldron, the torch and the transportation was generated in power plants in the region affected by the earthquake. A subtle but very significant detail is the bouquet that the medalists receive: the flowers were grown in areas affected by the earthquake and the set includes lisianthus from Fukushima, sunflowers from Miyagi, gentians from Iwate and aspidistras leaves from Tokyo. The plants are kept in a water gel container hidden under the leaves and are accompanied by a stuffed toy of Miraitowa, the mascot of the games. The animal changes color according to the medal that the athlete wins. Another souvenir that participants receive for participating is a porcelain ornament adorned with traditional Japanese symbols such as cherry blossoms and Mount Fuji. Three monuments on display near the Olympic Stadium represent the Tokyo 2020 Recovery Monuments project: each measuring over two metres tall, were created in workshops held in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, where students worked together to create the designs and messages that appear on the monuments. Athletes participating in the Games will be able to see the thanks for the help they have received from around the world, and they can also send their own messages to local residents by attaching them to the monuments.

4. Zero energy and electric transport

In addition to the cauldron, hydrogen is also a source of energy in some facilities in the Olympic Village. " target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Electric vehicles are available to transport athletes and journalists , with the aim of reducing the carbon footprint and avoiding the dispersion of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The electricity used is generated almost entirely from renewable sources - solar panels are installed in 17 arenas and the Tokyo Stadium also uses wind power - and energy generated in power plants in the Tohoku region, as a way to promote the reconstruction of the region.

5. Environmental preservation and carbon footprint

The organizers’ original estimate was that the games would generate 2.73 million tons of carbon. With the absence of spectators due to the pandemic, that number is expected to drop by 12%. More than 200 Japanese companies have donated credits to create a carbon-neutral event. Initial calculations are available in the pre-games sustainability report , and the organization plans to release carbon emissions reports after the games are over. According to the organization, around 37,000 trees were preserved during the construction of the arenas and more than 60,000 new species were also planted. Posters and other office supplies use certified paper. Fun fact: during a surf test event held in 2019 at Kujukuri Beach, a sea turtle nesting site was discovered. To protect the animals, local authorities, the Olympic Committee and a specialized NGO worked together to isolate the area and signpost the site to visitors and athletes.

6. Zero waste

Recycling is widespread in Japan and this is no exception during the Olympics. Actions based on the 3Rs principle (reduce, reuse and recycle) promote the reduction of plastic use and the adoption of recyclable and reusable materials throughout the Games. To help with waste separation and overcome the language barrier, pictograms were created to indicate where to correctly dispose of each material. The first pictograms representing the Olympic sports appeared in the 1964 edition in Tokyo and were created precisely to facilitate communication with foreigners. In the 2020 edition, the tradition continues and this is the first time that they appear animated.

7. Pride House Tokyo

Opened in 2020, Pride House Tokyo is a pop-up information and outreach center for LGBT people and other sexual minorities located in Shinjuku, Tokyo. In addition to working to ensure that LGBT athletes, their friends and families, spectators, and local participants are free to be themselves while enjoying a diversity-themed Olympics, it also aims to create a permanent safe space for the next generation of young people . The "Pride House" has the same principle as other houses set up temporarily at other Olympics, but the Japanese version's aim is to become a permanent space for exchanging information about sexual diversity and to offer a refuge to victims of harassment or discrimination . It is worth remembering that Japan is the only G7 country that does not recognize same-sex unions.