The tick of the big green Olympic clock

Team green Great Britain flag

The tick of the clock is getting even louder as the official 1 year countdown to the Olympics has begun. And Opulent Ethics is excited to learn just how green and environmentally friendly the Olympic site is going to be.

One of the poorest areas in London, Stratford, is being cleaned up and renovated in order for it to house the Olympic buildings.

Stratford was an area of industry just 50 years ago and the legacy of those years of disrepute was polluted waterways and soil, unused transport links and large areas or prime real estate remaining unused.

Artists impression of the green Olympic site

Whilst the Olympics has already had a massive impact on the arts as funds are diverted from courses, incubation schemes and funding programmes, having a huge effect on many of us, it is nice to see that what is being done with this money is going to make a positive change for the future.  

Whilst the building work continues there are thousands of jobs, 25% of which are going to people from the local area, and apprenticeship schemes are in place to help improve the education and skill set of the next generation.

The largest park or green area for many generations will be left behind after the temporary structures are removed and the remaining housing will be used partly as low cost accommodation for the poorer sectors of society. And 90% of the materials which are used during the construction of the site will be reused or recycled in the future.

Furthermore, the canal has been dredged and cleaned and both this and the railway line have been improved and repaired and are now in full working order. These are being used to transport 50% of the construction materials in and out of the site and are replacing trucks on the road which ties in with the site's attempts to be constructed with as low a carbon footprint as possible.

For all involved in constructing the Olympic park and running the actual games, the hope is that this will be the greenest Olympics to date. The intention is for 20% of the energy used in the Olympic park to come from renewable sources, energy efficient technology will be used to supply electricity, heat and cool buildings and provide hot water and a biomass boiler will be used to burn recycled woodchip as a power source. And, if that wasn't enough, a wind turbine which will stand on the site will produce enough electricity to power 1000 homes.

So, despite the negative effect on the jewellery and other arts industries with the removal of much needed funding, the Olympics are proving positive for many by providing a sustainable, cleaner site for us all to use in the future, some cheaper, cleaner housing for those in need and the first park to be built within London in 150 years. And that can't be a bad thing!

That's all for now....

What shade of green is your life?

So you want your life to be greener? You buy Fair Trade coffee, free range eggs and organic vegetables, you walk to work and vote Green Party but something is still missing. Have you ever wondered how life can be just as comfortable for you without causing discomfort to others or the environment? Well, these 10 steps could be just the thing for you...

At home

1. Energy supplier

There are numerous renewable energy sources and suppliers these days. The most popular types of renewable energy used in the UK are tidal and wind power. Solar power is also possible though works better in other countries and climates. It is estimated that on-shore wind turbines could produce up to 20% of UK power whilst off-shore wind farms could be producing up to 50% of UK power in the future.

The Renewable Energy Centre website contains information on all things renewable in the UK. You can source energy suppliers in your area, tips on how to save energy in your home and learn about different energy types. 

2. Home products

Everything that you could ever need in your house can be found on ethical sites such as Ethical Superstore. Here you can find home comforts, electrical appliances, fashion, food and energy saving gadgets. The site is regularly updated and allows you to shop in one place and earn Make A Difference (MAD) points while you do it. 

  

3. LED or energy saving light bulbs

Low energy devices and energy saving light bulbs can save you money on your energy bills. They also need changing less frequently as they last longer. An energy saving light bulb costs more in the shop but as it uses approximately a quarter of the power of a normal bulb and lasts up to 12 times longer they work out to be more economical in the long term.

Modern appliances these days come with a nationwide rating system which indicates how energy efficient an appliance is. It is also easy to save energy by washing at lower temperatures and with full loads, only boiling enough water for what you need, taking showers instead of baths and not leaving appliances in stand-by mode.

At work

4. Office supplies

Sites like Lovely as a Tree and Three Trees Don’t Make a Forest have many links to companies which can supply green office supplies and stationary but can also highlight your nearest environmentally friendly printers, supply information on the impact of offices and studios on the environment and gives honest opinions on issues such as whether a paper-free office is as great as it sounds.

5. Your computer

Something as simple as turning your computer monitor off when you go home can help. Printing less and using green print cartridges such as soya based inks is also good.

If you have your own website or are considering setting one up consider using a green web hosting company such as Super Green Hosting or see the Web Hosting Geeks information pages on numerous companies; there are loads out there!

6. Recycling Company waste

Green Your Office allows companies to buy some green office supplies whilst offering an eco-friendly cleaning service to companies. Unfortunately, this is currently only for companies based in London, Birmingham and Bristol but watch this space!

Also see Lovely as a Tree for where and how to recycle everything from computers to cartridges to mobile phones. For a more fashionable way of recycling materials in your office check out Worn Again to see how you could soon be wearing your office chairs.

When shopping

    7.   On the High street

H & M produce Fair Trade and Organic cotton items though in small amounts. Monsoon were involved with ethical fashion during London Fashion Week and ASOS have an entire section dedicated to ethical fashion items. However, for the ultimate in Ethical Fashion and all its related disciplines sign up to the Ethical Fashion Forum. 

   8.   Buy local

With supermarkets taking over the world the local shop is becoming a rarer sight on our streets. Now is the time to be supporting these local shops and you will see a reward; the produce is better, the staff care more about their consumers and have a greater knowledge of the products they sell.

   9.   Ask

If you are unsure of whether a product or company is ethical, ask. The only thing that is going to change companies to become more ethical is consumer power. The more people that are interested, the more likely a company is to change their products and procedures. Every person counts!

Your Money

   10.  At the Bank

The Cooperative Bank have an ethics policy to be commended. See their Ethics in Action section to learn about the campaigns they support, the businesses they have turned down for being less than ethical and learn more about their customer-led ethical policies.

Some people find being ethical is holistic; it can encapsulate your entire life. If this isn’t your take on all things green then that’s fine too. Every individual step towards a greener planet is positive so be proud.

Good luck greening up!