As the competition heats up for the right to host the 2016 Olympic Games, one of Chicago's competitors says it is doing all it can to negate some of the heat that has already been generated.
Officials of the Rio de Janeiro bid committee said they will plant over 2,000 seedlings to help offset carbon generated during their application for the Games. The trees will be planted in Rio's Parque Nacional de Pedra Branca, and at several sports facilities in the Rio area.
Rio said the effort will help to offset 716 tons of carbon, making up for emissions generated from September 2007, to October 2009. Officials say they took into consideration the 5.3 million miles of flights members of their bid committee have taken during that period, and operations of the Rio 2016 offices, including electric consumption. The bid committee estimates they pumped about 95 tons of carbon into the air during the visit of the IOC Evaluation Commission last month.
All four competing cities stressed environmental themes in their bid applications to the International Olympic Committee. Chicago's bid book emphasized what it called a "blue-green games" concept, stressing sustainable water solutions as well as a low-carbon game and venue plan.
The race for the 2016 Olympic Games culminates next fall when the host city is announced in Copenhagen Oct. 2.
