Eight ways the Tokyo 2020 Olympics are sustainable: from cardboard beds to recycled medals

Eight ways the Tokyo 2020 Olympics are sustainable: from cardboard beds to recycled medals

The Tokyo Olympics hope to be the greenest ever, beating the record set by London in 2012 A year later than scheduled, the 2020 summer Olympic Games are finally underway in Tokyo, Japan. The Tokyo Games has set out to ensure it is the most sustainable Olympics yet, with a number of measures in place to cut waste and emissions.

Cardboard beds

All of this year’s Olympians will be getting their rest in on beds made from cardboard

Plastic podiums

To claim their recycled medals, athletes will take to podiums made from recycled plastic waste recovered from oceans and donated by the public

Plastic uniforms

The uniforms were designed by Daisuke Obana and bear a chequered pattern that is known in Japan as ichimatsu moyo (the same pattern can be found in the Tokyo 2020 logos).

Renewable energy

The Games are being powered by electricity from renewable sources.

‘Greenwashing’ claims

A new study accuses the Games of “greenwashing” with its “superficial” sustainability efforts.

Recycling architecture

Many of the facilities being used for the Games already existed, and have been updated from the 1964 Tokyo Olympics

Aluminium torches

These are made from recycled construction waste from temporary housing used in the aftermath of the 2011’s earthquake and tsunami.

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