Air Date: Week of September 15, 2000

Anna Solomon-Greenbaum reports on the “greening” of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

Transcript

SOLOMON-GREENBAUM: The torch that is the symbol of the 2000 Olympic Games is burning cleaner than ever. From hydrocarbons to carbohydrates, officials in Sydney, Australia, are billing this as the greenest games in history. Let's say you can't quite finish that vegamite sandwich. You can toss it in the compost bin along with the plate it came on and the knife you used to cut it, because the dinnerware is made of cornstarch and cotton seed. Or maybe some of the 400,000 composting worms who have been brought in will get to munch on your leftovers. A post in a restroom stop will have you flushing treated rainwater and sewage down the drain, guilt-free. When the water recycling system posed a threat to the rare green and golden bell frog, officials built bridges, fences, and tunnels to protect the amphibians, who are said to actually be increasing their numbers since construction of the Olympic complex began. That's this week's environmental update. I'm Anna Solomon-Greenbaum.