Vancouver winter games: 300,000 tons of emissions

Winter games of the future?

If that sounds like a lot of greenhouse gas emissions, that's because it is. Of course it includes not just the construction of the Olympic venues, but also the transportation, airfare in particular, for the tens of thousands of participants and fans from across Canada and the world. Despite spending billions for this global warming extravaganza, organizers are scrambling to find a few million to purchase carbon offsets to allay any guilt.

2010 Games officials eye global warming costs

Organizers of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games said on Monday they are confident they can find sponsors to help with the estimated C$4.5 million ($3.6 million) cost of keeping the event from adding to global warming...

The Vancouver Organizing Committee said it is in talks with carbon offset management companies it hopes will help sponsor the cost of buying credits, which it said is running between C$10 and C$20 a tonne.

The Suzuki Foundation, which is working with VANOC, released its own report on Sunday warning that global warming is a threat to traditional winter Olympic sports in Canada as shorter winters leading to less ice and snow.

Ironic. Not only will BC residents likely be saddled with huge debt that will take years to repay, the Olympic efforts will contribute to the deterioration of winter sports in Canada.