What's fiery, symbolic and emits 5,500 tons of CO2?
The Olympic torch is having a really bad year. Aside from the sometimes violent human rights protests that greet the torch runners in each city this year, there's another growing concern that is casting a less than favorable light on the usually uncontroversial symbol of peace: its carbon footprint. Wired News estimates that the Olympic torch -- with all of its globe-trotting -- is spewing and extra 11 million pound of CO2 into the atmosphere this year on its way to Greece.
The torch's 23-city tour across 6 continents is racking up a total of 85,000 miles in the air -- all on the Olympic torch's private A330 Aibus. Based on Earhlab's carbon calculator that's 5.4 gallons of fuel per mile, 5,500 tons of CO2 total. Cities like London have taken steps to neutralize its leg of the torch relay, but as a whole, the carbon footprint is kinda getting the backseat. I'm guessing that other host cities like Islamabad, Jakarta, and Ho Chi Mihn City will probably not follow suit.
Oh well, I guess if we knew the footprint of most events -- offset or not -- we could probably find some people who want it canceled. This year's torch relay ceremony is sure not looking healthy -- with pro-Tibet and Darfur protesters playing 'grab the torch' and sometimes actually trying to tackle the torch runners. Not everybody's hates this year's torch relay though, paralympic athlete Jin Jing fought off activists in Paris as she guided her wheelchair successfully to her hand-off. Who would attack a woman in a wheelchair? That's not right.
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