No doubt about it. Trees are absolutely indispensable to the urban setting.

That’s why it’s hard to imagine trees going to waste when they are deemed expendable due to construction projects, storm damage, disease control, etc.  Most trees removed from their urban setting end up as wood chips (or worse, just get sent to landfills).

Urban Tree Salvage (located in Scarborough, Ontario) is harvesting these forsaken trees and turning them into something beautiful. Customized tables, chairs, shelves – each piece is a work of natural art. Of course, if you’re more of a do-it-yourself-er, you can buy slabs and design your own furniture pieces.
The eco-friendly part is two-fold. You’re supporting wood that would otherwise go to waste AND you’re sustaining the natural environment by not creating a demand for the removal of a tree somewhere else.

Look for a local vendor of cast-off lumber or wood products in your area next time you need to fix that fence or buy a table.

I am really enjoying the Olympics. From beach volleyball to swimming to gymnastics, I just can’t get enough. I even discovered synchronized diving (awesome!).

And then the Chinese Men’s Basketball team played the American team. Never before had I seen a game featuring two mismatched teams so hyped up! News outlets estimate that over 1 billion people tuned in to see Yao Ming take on Lebron James and the rest of the NBA superstars.

Although the amount of viewers might seem staggering, everything related to the Olympics is Herculean big. The athletes, coaches, families, journalists, crew, and spectators that descend on a host city are in the hundreds of thousands!

And that’s where this post gets green (and opinionated). No matter where the Olympics are hosted, the environmental impact of hosting a two-week extravaganza on such a massive scale is huge. Not only should we worry about energy use, water use, waste management and air quality due to transportation, but how about the hasty construction of dozens of new Olympic venues?

The International Olympic Committee acknowledges the environmental impact of each Olympic Games. “Sustainable Development” was recognized as an Agenda item of the IOC in 1999. One can only hope this principle is already in practice…

Beijing National Stadium (aka The Bird’s Nest)

The biggest venue of any Olympics is the building that holds the Opening Ceremonies and Track and Field events. In Beijing, not one but two buildings were constructed for the purpose. Guandong stadium (80,000 capacity) was finished in 2001 and was the original intended venue for these events, but somehow a need for another venue was created. The Beijing National Stadium was completed in March 2008 and boasts a seating capacity of 91,000. I am still trying to find out why Guandong stadium was deemed inadequate.

What’s more, in order to secure enough water to supply the Olympics and “green Beijing,” a canal channeled 300 million cubic metres of Hebei province’s remaining waters and rushed them 300 km north to the city. The people living in Hebei province are already suffering from a water shortage and a direct threat to their way of life.

Looking ahead to 2010

“In the excitement of the Games, it would be easy to forget about the environment and the communities that may be affected by the construction of new facilities or other preparations,” reads the Vancouver 2010 Olympics website.

Sustainability is the buzz word of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and many projects do appear to be adhering to the values of sustainable development. Let’s make sure they keep it up for Games to come!