One of the highlights of 2021 has been the 2020 Olympics and
Paralympics, which were the more welcome for the wait. For a world
of accelerating climate change, the 2020 Olympics again focused
heavily on sustainability. The Olympic torch was fuelled by
hydrogen. The Olympic medals were made of recycled metals extracted
from used electronics. The podiums constructed from recycled
plastic. The beds in the athlete's village were cardboard, and
apparently very sturdy! The promise of sustainability has been a
core part of the Olympic tradition since at least the
"green" and gold Olympics in Sydney in 2000 and where
hosting rights were won in part because of the 'environmental
matters' which underscored the host city bid. Not long after
Sydney's successful bid in 1993, the International Olympic
Committee adopted as its third tier, after sport and culture,
environment and sustainability. The pursuit of these objectives now
forms a core part of host city pitches. Brisbane's
