Kingston Environment Group (KEG) suggestions for cycling events, Kingston 2012
There are many issues around sustainability and environmental impact that LOCOG themselves have implicitly committed to by claiming that this will be the "greenest games ever". All big public events involving many different agencies and organisations have inherent problems in being efficient and well co-ordinated on issues such as waste and energy, and have the potential to be wasteful and polluting – but 2012 also offers a rare opportunity to show off Kingston as a model of sustainability.
The concerns and opportunities for Kingston identified by members of KEG include:
WASTE AND LITTER: how is Kingston going to cope with the mountains of waste that 1000s of visitors and spectators could produce? - Are there ways of, firstly, minimising it by discouraging bottled water, plastic bags and packaging, throwaway cups, cutlery, chewing gum, smoking etc? LOCOG has criteria and targets on this and on green procurement, e g by outside caterers – how do they apply to outlying events like ours?
- Could Kingston go even further and ban some of these? Does the Localism Bill enable this?
- Could we ensure that all bottles and cans are sold with deposits attached and that a system is in place in all shops for refunding the deposit?
- Could Kingston hire bowsers - big free water tanks that the public can drink from with paper cups, with cup recycling on the spot.
- Recycling bins in public places for unavoidable waste would be a really useful legacy. See left, and also the "talking bins" at http://www.lovewhereyoulive.org/news-achievements/talking-bins-are-here!.aspx.
- Green Police will be available (via Save the World Club) to assist with the above, e g by distributing cigarette-end containers to smokers.
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Recycling bins, with instructions |
PROMOTING CYCLING: how can we promote cycling as a healthy, convenient and environmentally-friendly form of transport on the back of the cycle road race(s)?
- If roads are going to be closed to traffic for the cycle races is there an opportunity for pedestrians/cyclists to reclaim those roads, or some of them (e g in Richmond Park) for a bit longer, either on the day, before/after the race, or on a separate rehearsal day? Would it be possible to link up with the Living Streets campaign in some areas along the route? Or the cycling campaign Critical Mass?
- Participants and spectators should be asked to leave cars at home and arrive here by public transport, bike or walking.
- Lots of secure bike parking, temporary if necessary, should be provided and advertised. It is likely that numbers arriving in the area on bike for the Olympic events are being underestimated. If we want them to stay a while they have to be able to park.
- Publicity and info about road closures should be better and more widespread than it was in summer 2011 for the test event. If Londoners set out on their normal car trips and head into traffic chaos and closures, this will be bad PR for cycling and the Olympics, rather than the positive promotion of utility cycling that we might hope for.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: how is Kingston's public transport system going to cope with additional passengers during these events? How do we encourage people to use public transport rather than cars?
- Public transport maps for getting to and aroundKingstonto be published and disseminated.
- If really necessary, a Park and Ride scheme to be activated and promoted.
POLLUTION / EMISSIONS REDUCTION
- Kingston should be doing our bit to meet the obligatory pollution reduction (see http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/apr/24/london-olympics-pollution-fine-ioc) and reducing taxpayers' subsidy of pollution via fines.
- Event energy could be renewable and carbon neutral.
OTHER
- A sustainability/green event/festival during the Kingston cycling event.
- Make sure that outlets in this Fairtrade borough are selling Fairtrade. Olympic caterers have to meet various criteria on this – we should too.
- Can we make sure that the inevitable titivations that will happen locally around the Games are done with sustainability in mind? (e g floral displays could be grown locally, be drought-resistant…)
- other service providers involved, e g, St Johns Ambulance, steward co-ordinator companies, etc, should have an outdoor/event sustainability policy.
- PR for RBK 2012 and our actions on climate change, energy conservation, transport, recycling etc: sustainability credentials of Kingston 2012 should be well advertised as a positive message aboutKingston and to encourage good habits as a legacy.
Compiled and circulated by Kingston Environment Group, summer 2011, updated January 2012