Vancouver Olympics are going for the green

As you can imagine, hosting an Olympics puts an enormous strain on the environment where they Games take place. New construction, increased traffic, and the simple fact that tens of thousands of extra people are around often can lead to pollution and degradation of the surrounding areas. So the fact that the upcoming Olympics may be the greenest in the Games' history is pretty cool.

Some of the more impressive features of the Games:

- All buildings in the Olympic Village will qualify for the gold or platinum LEED certification.

- The Village's buidlings will be equipped with solar panels and roofs that collect rainwater and become self-sustaining.

- Floors in the Village buildings are heated from below, which minimizes the number of dust particles circulating in the air.

- The Richmond Oval, home to the speed skating events, was built from trees that had been destroyed by a beetle infestation.

- Transport from Vancouver to Whistler will be on 20 hydrogen-powered buses valued at $89 million.

Of course, these innovations do not come without their share of controversy. The construction of the connecting highway between Whistler and Vancouver has been maligned by environmentalist groups who claim that it destroyed ecosystems along the path. However, organizers contend that the road will be part of Vancouver's hydrogen-based planning.

It may not be perfect, but it's commendable that the Vancouver Olympic Committee is doing its best to make sure these Olympics leave a positive environmental legacy after the Games are over.