Paris Olympics Doubles Plant Based Options

Every four years, people all over the world turn their eyes to The Olympics. The sporting event, first held in Ancient Greece, brings together athletes and fans worldwide. Hosting the Olympic games is a symbol of prestige for any city.

Paris 2024: A New Era of Sustainable Olympics

Paris has the honor of hosting the 2024 Olympics and plans to do things differently than previous hosts. The city aims to hold the most sustainable Olympics yet. The three previous Olympics, held in London (2012), Rio (2016), and Tokyo (2020), averaged around 3.9 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions. The 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games aspire to cut emissions in half compared to previous games.

The Paris Olympics will host 15,000 athletes, 45,000 volunteers, and 26,000 media professionals. Three hundred thousand spectators are expected to attend the opening ceremonies. In addition, projections from the Paris Tourism Authority speculate that more than 11 million people will visit to view the 800 sporting events. These numbers mean that millions of meals will be served throughout the games.

Embracing Plant-Based Food Options at The Olympics

With a view to a more sustainable Olympics and this many meals to prepare, Paris 2024 is paying close attention to the type of food it will offer. Paris is well known for its love of meat and cheese, but the planners of the 2024 Olympics, which included 120 organizations and 200 athletes, intend to offer a different spin on their usual cuisine with plenty of carbon-friendly food options. They plan to feature more local and plant-based food than in previous years. An estimated 60% of the millions of meals served will be meat-free. This responsible way of eating will significantly decrease the overall carbon emissions the event produces.

“We’re in France, so food is important. But it is about presenting another way to eat deliciously, even in a fast-paced way, like vegetarian hamburgers and hotdogs at a stadium.” – Georgina Drenon, environmental excellence director for Paris 2024.

Commitment to Sustainable Sourcing for Paris Olympics

This year’s Olympic games offer the perfect opportunity to showcase new and creative ways to enjoy French foods without animal products. The Paris 2024 website states, “Spectators will be able to taste different sandwiches at Paris, Marseille, and Lyon venues, designed by chefs using products from the French regions. The common denominator between them all: healthy, gourmet, and creative food, with more plant-based and local options at affordable prices!”

Overall, Paris plans to offer 2x more plant-based food than any other Olympics. They will use 100% certified food, including 80% French-origin products, 25% within 250km of the venues, and 30% organic products. They also aim to halve the amount of single-use plastics. Finally, they will attempt to limit food waste and recycle 100% of uneaten food.

Eco-Friendly Infrastructure and Initiatives for Paris Olympics

Plant-based, sustainable foods are not Paris’s only measure to limit carbon emissions at the 2024 Olympics. They are working on many levels to combat carbon emissions and to offset those that cannot be avoided.

Paris is only building one new arena for the Olympic games this year: a solar-powered stadium in Saint-Denis. For other events, Paris is repurposing existing stadiums instead of building new ones. One example is the Stade de France, which was built in 1998 for the soccer World Cup. They will use eco-designed temporary venues when possible. The city is also planning to ensure used equipment and buildings have 100% second lives.

Paris has planted 200,000 trees around the city to counter carbon emissions. Rooftops around the Athlete’s Village were made friendly to insects and birds. More cycle lanes, pay-as-you-go bikes, and extra public transport options have also been added.

The Impact of Eco-Friendly Sustainability at Paris 2024

Paris’ goal is to host the most sustainable Olympics yet and encourage all future sporting events to follow their lead. Repurposing existing buildings and equipment, planting trees and gardens, and increasing access to public transportation all lessen these games’ impact on our environment.

Increasing plant-based food options will also positively impact carbon emissions. Our eating habits have a powerful impact on our planet. Animal agriculture accounts for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. For perspective, aviation only causes 2%. With its animal-free menus, France creatively and compassionately models responsible eating habits that will carry on into other stadiums and sporting events.

Join the Movement: Paris 2024 Plant-Based and Sustainable Olympics

The 2024 Paris Olympics begins Friday, July 26, and run through Sunday, August 11. Tune in to show your support for Paris’s planet-friendly choices for this event.