By Haley Shapley, SIERRA

Photo by Jay_Zynism/iStock

Dalila Jakupovi? was preparing to serve when she doubled over in a coughing fit. She tried to stand, but eventually she crumpled to her knees. The Slovenian tennis player was winning her first-round match at this year?s Australian Open when she could no longer breathe. As she withdrew, she wiped tears from her eyes with a towel her opponent offered.

?It was really scary,? she said the next day. ?I didn?t know what to do. I had the feeling like I?m gonna collapse on the court. . . . The whole match was tough for me to breathe, to get some fresh air, to get some air at all.?

Jakupovi? has no history of asthma or breathing issues, but the bushfires that ravaged much of Australia in late 2019 and into early 2020 created unhealthy conditions for even the healthiest among us. The air quality in Melbourne the day Jakupovi? was forced to withdraw was in the ?very poor? to ?hazardous? range, with a noticeable thick cloud of smoke hanging in the air. And this wasn?t the first time someone struggled at the Australian Open for reasons unrelated to the backhand accuracy of the person on the other side of the net. In recent years, players have fainted, felt sluggish, and hallucinated (one saw Snoopy).

It hasn?t always been that hot in Australia in January, but a study found that the probability of having this type of uncontrollable fire?which killed hundreds of people (through direct fire exposure and smoke inhalation) and an estimated 1 billion animals?has increased by at least 30 percent since 1900 due to climate change. Researchers believe the reason for these increased odds is most likely a rising temperature.

* * *

Before COVID-19 postponed one of the world?s largest sporting events, there was worry that something else would derail the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo: climate change.

In the same time frame in 2019 that the games were scheduled in 2020?July 24 to August 9?the average high in Tokyo was 92 degrees, with humidity above 80 percent. This was 6 degrees higher than the 30-year average. Throw in thousands of athletes pushing their absolute limits and half a million spectators gathering to watch, and it?s a recipe for heat-related illnesses and even deaths.

As the world warms up, sports as we know them are on the verge of disappearing. Hotter heat waves, torrential downpours, rampant wildfires, and melting snow are all changing the game when it comes to outdoor recreation. What does that mean for the future of events like the Australian Open and the Olympics, and what are major sports organizations doing to both prepare for and reverse the effects?

Since 1998, Tennis Australia, which organizes the Australian Open, has had an extreme-heat policy that measures risk using factors such as radiant heat, humidity, air temperature, and wind speed. Depending on the risk level, players are provided with certain accommodations, including ice vests and longer breaks between sets. But is protecting participants enough?or does the organization have the duty to take things a step further and actively mitigate the effects of climate change?

United Nations Climate Change believes every sports organization should be doing more. Through its Sports for Climate Action Initiative, it’s working on bringing together sports governing bodies, federations, leagues, and clubs to take responsibility for their climate footprint, then reduce overall climate impact and promote sustainable consumption.

So far, 125 organizations, including Tennis Australia, have made the pledge to work toward climate neutrality. They are focusing on initiatives including waste and landfill reduction at all events, introducing biodegradable and recyclable materials for food packaging, and reducing energy at Melbourne Park, where the Australian Open is held, through solar panels, LED lighting, and natural ventilation.

A recent report from the Monash Climate Change Communication Research Hub recommended moving the tournament to November or March, or extending the length so that there are more opportunities to play earlier and later in the day, when the heat is lower. ?While neither option?playing the event at a different time of year or extending the tournament?is without risk, this is the unfortunate reality of outdoor sports in a changing climate,? the report says. Tennis Australia has not announced any plans to change the format or timing of the Australian Open.

For the next Olympic Games, now scheduled for 2021, the Tokyo Organising Committee will be using zero-emission cars and launched a Cooling Project that involves installing misters, offering frozen desserts, and considering allowing spectators to bring in their own bottled water. They?re also planning to adjust the schedule for outdoor events?for example, rugby sevens will stop all matches by noon, while mountain biking won?t begin until 3 P.M., in order to avoid the hottest part of the day.

On a longer-term level, the International Olympic Committee helped launch the Sports for Climate Action Framework and also works with the UN Clean Seas initiative to address plastic pollution. In March, the IOC announced that the Olympics would be ?climate positive? from 2030 onward, meaning that the carbon savings will exceed the potential negative impacts of their operations. To help with that goal, the IOC will plant an Olympic Forest as part of the Great Green Wall project in Africa that?s tackling the effects of desertification.

?Climate change is a challenge of unprecedented proportions, and it requires an unprecedented response,? said IOC president Thomas Bach. ?Looking ahead, we want to do more than reducing and compensating our own impact. We want to ensure that, in sport, we are at the forefront of the global efforts to address climate change and leave a tangible, positive legacy for the planet.?

Climate change isn?t only an issue for summer sports. Just three decades from now, more than half of the 21 cities that have already hosted the Winter Olympics won?t be cold enough to host the games again. In Canada, researchers estimate that the outdoor skating season may shrink by a third in eastern Canada and 20 percent in western Canada.

That?s of major concern to the National Hockey League. In 2008, the NHL partnered with the Natural Resources Defense Council to create an environmental program for the league, known as NHL Green. Six years later, they issued the first sustainability report from a North American professional sports league.

?Our sport is affected by climate change more than any other,? said Mike Richter, a former NHL goaltender, in the 2018 Sustainability Report. ?Our game was born on the frozen ponds of North America. The availability of free ice creates the culture we love.?

To help preserve that culture, the NHL offsets its emissions through certified renewable energy credits and carbon offsets, hosts a week dedicated to educating and engaging fans around environmental concerns, and facilitates communication among the clubs to help all reduce their impact. Every club collects food that?s been prepared but not touched and donates it to organizations in need, and three NHL arenas have installed fuel cell technology, which reduces utility consumption from the grid. They also started the NHL Greener Rinks Initiative to provide information about technologies and practices that community ice rinks can use to reduce their operating costs and environmental impact.

?With all that the National Hockey League is doing in terms of measuring and publicly being transparent about the footprint of the league, they?re setting a very good leadership example,? says Kristin Hanczor, senior partnership manager at the Green Sports Alliance, a nonprofit that works with stakeholders in the sporting world to become more sustainable and promote healthy communities.

Some sports organizations are driven by the moral imperative to reduce their impact, while others are more motivated by dollars and cents. Whatever angle they?re coming from, Hanczor says, there?s much that can be accomplished.

?We see a lot of different reasons for committing to more sustainable practices. There are organizations that feel like this is the right thing to do and have leaders who strongly believe in doing what?s right and using the voice of their brand to do good,? she says. ?There?s also a general business case. A team or a league really is a business, and they need to look at sustainability the same way a company would?tracking impact and costs, monitoring energy prices, cutting and reducing waste, managing water use, switching to LED lights, using environmentally conscious products, investing in clean energy, etc.?

While the impact of every sport is different, there are some main areas where sports can have a big effect:

• Energy

• Water (think of golf greens and baseball stadiums)

• Heating and cooling (large venues use enormous amounts of energy)

• Food waste

• Locally sourced food (?Food is a thing that everyone loves and can connect with, and it?s sometimes easier to understand than the intricacies behind HVAC systems,? Hanczor says)

• Transportation

While league leadership like that of the NHL makes a powerful statement, much of the impact happens at the team level. Hanczor cites Major League Baseball?s Seattle Mariners and the National Football League?s Philadelphia Eagles as two teams that have stepped up and led the way.

?Sustainability-related fan engagement and education is something we?re looking for teams to do more of,? she says. ?That?s where sports have some of the greatest power?being able to educate everyone who comes to the game by offering compostable products, creating public service announcements, and raising awareness about environmental issues.?

One recent example of fan engagement that Hanczor liked was at this year?s Super Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, where Ball Corporation teamed up with Centerplate and Bud Light to offer its infinitely recyclable aluminum cups in place of typical plastic cups. It was better for the environment and didn?t detract from the fan experience?in fact, it enhanced it.

Those kinds of creative partnerships will have to continue. As marathoners scramble to enter races that won?t scorch their feet, competitive snowshoers search for enough snow in which to train (yes, that?s a thing), golfers tee up on soggy courses, high school football players collapse from heat stroke, and swimmers encounter lakes filled with algae blooms, the day of reckoning is here: What?s the role of sports in causing climate change, and how can the people who love them the most make sure they?re here to stay?

Will it be, as Bach envisions, that sport does more than just negate its own impact but becomes an agent of change? Or in the years to come, will athletes like Jakupovi? have to settle for coughing fits and fainting spells until there?s no longer an environment for sports to thrive in at all?

Even for fans of teams that perennially drop the ball, that would be a loss too heartbreaking to bear.

Read the original article here

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By Matthew Levine, NWSL

Tournament opener and championship game to air on CBS, CBS All Access to stream all 25 games live as League also announces multi-year partnership with Verizon

The National Women?s Soccer League announced today that the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup presented by P&G and Secret will mark the return to action for all nine clubs. The 25-game tournament will kick off on June 27, 2020 at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah. While spectators will not be in attendance, fans can catch all the action via CBS All Access with the opener and championship game also airing live on CBS.

This tournament marks the league?s first competition since the 2019 NWSL Championship which saw the North Carolina Courage defeat the Chicago Red Stars to become back-to-back NWSL Champions. In addition to the tournament?s presenting sponsors P&G and Secret, the league also announced today a new multi-year partnership with Verizon, another landmark in the continuing commercial success of the NWSL.

The format of the tournament will feature the league?s nine clubs each playing four games in the preliminary rounds to determine seeding. The top eight teams will advance to the quarterfinals, when the tournament becomes a knockout competition. The semifinals and Final presented by Budweiser will be played at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, with the Championship match slated for July 26, 2020 where we will also announce the tournament MVP Award presented by Budweiser. Budweiser has been an Official Sponsor of the NWSL since 2019 and supporter of the U.S. women?s national team for over three decades.

Both the tournament opener and the Final will air on CBS and will be streamed on the CBS All Access subscription service. All other games will be live on CBS All Access in the U.S. and Canada and will re-air on CBS Sports Network. Fans outside the U.S. and Canada can stream the full tournament on Twitch.  A full tournament schedule, including game times and further broadcast details, will be provided in the days to come. Spectators will not be permitted in the venue.

?As our country begins to safely reopen and adjust to our collective new reality, and with the enthusiastic support of our players, owners, as well as our new and current commercial partners, the NWSL is thrilled to bring professional soccer back to the United States,? said NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird. ?This exciting month-long tournament will showcase our league?s talented players and provide our fans the type of world-class entertainment they?ve come to expect from the NWSL.?

Building on the momentum of a record-breaking 2019 and the growing success of women?s sports, on and off the field, the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup is a unique opportunity for players to return to competition with the unanimous support of the league owners and the players association.

?The NWSLPA, working closely alongside NWSL, is excited to provide players the opportunity to return to sport, while also securing compensation and other necessities to make sure players? concerns, feedback, and safety are at the forefront of all conversations,? said NWSLPA Executive Directors Yael Averbuch and Brooke Elby. ?As the plans for the tournament unfolded, it was our priority as the NWSLPA to protect our players, and we feel that NWSL shares those values.?

?P&G is proud to support the world-class women athletes of the NWSL. In the face of the added challenges of competing in these unique times, we are delighted to help them bring this innovative tournament to life and bring greater visibility to these elite players and teams,? said Janet Fletcher, Director Sports Marketing, P&G. ?As a longtime champion of gender equality, and an advocate for women?s equal pay in sports and beyond, our Secret deodorant brand team is committed to continuing our efforts to help women in sports advance without having to sweat the obstacles in their path.?

?Sports are such a huge part of our culture and give us a sense of connection ? something we?re all craving right now,? said Marissa Weseloh, Director of Strategic Sponsorships, Verizon. ?Partnering with the National Women?s Soccer League allows us to connect with the soccer community in a meaningful way as the sport continues to grow.?

This ?international-style? tournament allows the league to safely return to the pitch and will be hosted by Dell Loy Hansen, owner of Utah Royals FC, who will accommodate all housing, training, and competition needs for the league?s nine teams and create an ?NWSL Village? to control as much of the environment as possible.

?With the efforts of our frontline workers, our state?s early adoption of preventative measures, and our facilities at Zions Bank Real Academy, Rio Tinto Stadium, and America First Credit Union Field, Utah is uniquely prepared to host the nine teams in the NWSL and put on a tremendous tournament,? said Hansen. ?With the full support of the Governor and the medical experts in our community, we are thrilled to bring the tournament to Utah.?

Under the leadership of Utah Governor Gary Herbert, the State of Utah and its citizens have drawn praise for their public health efforts, making Utah an ideal host for an event with the size and scope of the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup presented by P&G and Secret. Commissioner Baird and Hansen have met with Governor Herbert, Lieutenant Governor Spencer Cox, the Utah Sports Commission, and local health officials, and all parties have enthusiastically endorsed the way forward.

?Utah is home to strong health care systems and dedicated medical professionals ? and public health and safety are always a top priority for our communities. Because of those factors, I believe our state will be a great location for the National Women?s Soccer League to host its competition in 2020,? Governor Herbert said.  ?I?m grateful to Dell Loy Hansen for his work to find a solution that we believe will benefit the league and our community as a whole.?

The NWSL?s Medical Task Force, comprised of a team doctor from each of the league?s nine teams, has worked tirelessly over the last nine weeks, in coordination with public health officials, to develop thorough and detailed medical and testing protocols to ensure the safest environment for a return to play and competition. Each player, official, and essential staff member will be tested 48 hours prior to departure for Utah and upon arrival and will be subject to consistent testing, temperature readings, and symptom review throughout their stay in Utah. The full protocols have also received unanimous support from the NWSL board of directors and the NWSLPA and can be found HERE.

Additional details will be available soon.

Read the original announcement here

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By Mike Bonts Public Relations, (904) 424-6641, mike@bontspr.com

Photo by Tim Casey/University Athletic Association

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (May 27, 2020) ? The Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC), the leading certifier of green construction projects in the state, has certified Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium on the University of Florida campus FGBC ?Florida Green?at the Gold Level.

?Any time we set out to improve our athletic facilities we take into account the needs for our student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans. In addition, we are also committed to reducing the negative impact we have on the environment and improving sustainability throughout all our facility projects. With the recent renovation to Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium, it?s exciting news that we were able to achieve the first ?gold-level? certification on campus from the Florida Green Building Coalition,? said Chip Howard, Executive Associate Athletics Director for Internal Affairs.

The home of Florida?s two-time national softball program is located on the corner of Hull and Museum Roads in Gainesville, Fla. Improvements, such as the recent expansion, enhances the game day experience.

“When the nation’s top collegiate teams take the field, Katie Seashole Pressly Softball Stadium will also be in the spotlight, demonstrating the applicability and adaptability of Florida Green Building Coalition green certification. The University of Florida has shown great leadership and a commitment to sustainability for making the stadium expansion a showcase for Florida Green construction,” said C.J. Davila, Florida Green Building Coalition Executive Director.

The expansion is part of the University Athletic Association?s facilities master plan developed to improve the efficiency of the University of Florida?s athletic programs, Designed by Populous in partnership with local firm Walker Architects, Scorpio of Gainesville was the contractor.

Projects are visited, reviewed, and certified by a third-party green verifier. Dr. Jennifer Languell of Trifecta Construction Solutions was the FGBC Certifying Agent. Dustin Stephany of the University of Florida was the FGBC Designated Professional.

Unlike other national and international certifications such as USGBC LEED and Green Globes, FGBC are the only standards developed with Florida-specific criteria. They address Florida?s hot-humid climate, distinctive environment, unique topography, resiliency, and natural disasters.

Points are awarded by FGBC for each of the individual green certifying levels – bronze, silver, gold, and platinum. Numerical points are given for selecting and integrating individual environmentally friendly green products, best practices, and sustainable techniques from a menu of available green options. The stadium was certified FGBC Gold with a score of 175.

Celebrating 20 years, FGBC?s five certifications provide pathways to build green homes, developments, local governments, high rises, and commercial buildings. The free market aspect of FGBC certification also keeps costs reasonable.

Read more on the certification here

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By Michael Staton, College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences

Clicking on each individual map marker on the Food Access Map brings up a variety of information on each site.

Clemson University faculty and staff in coordination with the United Way and Ten at the Top have created an interactive map that provides information on different food resources across the Upstate for individuals and families facing food insecurity.

Clemson?s College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences created the Food Access Map as part of its efforts to aid Upstate residents facing hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic. The map includes nearly 400 providers across 10 counties complete with information on the type of assistance they provide as well as operating hours and availability.

According to Leslie Hossfeld, dean of the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences, the Food Access Map will make the process of finding reliable information on food resources that much easier for people in need.

?There are individuals and families in the Upstate region who face food insecurity even at the ?best? of times,? Hossfeld said. ?A crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic only makes clearer the need for good, reliable information on what type of help is available and where to find it. This map has been put in place to serve as a hub for that information.?

Hossfeld said the process of collecting all of the detailed information contained in the interactive map was daunting for those involved. To ensure accuracy, multiple employees of Clemson?s Joseph F. Sullivan Center phoned each individual food pantry, food distribution group and grocery assistance organization to obtain or update information.

Mike McGirr, director of Clemson?s Land Grant Local, coordinated the effort. Clemson faculty and staff also relied on information from United Way partners and Ten at the Top, a nonprofit organization that exists to stimulate economic and community health through collaboration.

According to Jeremy Price, director of programs for the United Way of Pickens County, the Food Access Map was built partially on the United Way?s 2-1-1 system (a national emergency resource system) and Ten at the Top?s senior resources map. He said the collaboration with Clemson and Ten at the Top added nearly 350 resources to the 2-1-1 system, pushing the total amount to over 400.

?The efforts of the Clemson team tremendously boosted and strengthened our list of food resources,? Price said. ?This work is incredibly valuable to our community in Pickens County and to the entire Upstate as well.?

Sharon Purvis, director of outreach and special projects for Ten at the Top, said she was heartened to see so many organizations pool their efforts for the greater good of the Upstate community. She said there is a great deal of work and coordination involved in pulling together so much information from various resources, but all partners involved knew the work was imperative at a time when these resources were in higher-than-usual demand.

?Many people, perhaps for the first time in their lives, are experiencing food insecurity and unemployment due to COVID-19,? Purvis said. ?It was vital that we move as quickly as possible to develop a resource that helps people find food assistance and helps agencies promote the assistance they provide.?

Hossfeld said she is sure the map will help in the short term for people in need due to COVID-19, but she is also excited for what the map will do in the future for the Upstate region. She said the work to maintain the map won?t end along with social distancing; it will be maintained for use year-round and will only improve so that it is available when the next crisis comes along.

?The last few months have been unprecedented, and there?s be no shortage of uncertainty and bad news,? Hossfeld said, ?but this is one undeniably good thing to come out of all of this. The Food Access Map will serve the entirety of upstate South Carolina for years to come.?

The Food Access Map is a detailed, extensive resource, but it is by no means complete. It will remain a work in progress as more sites are added and the resource is kept up to date. Clemson University, United Way of Pickens County and Ten at the Top representatives encourage any agencies not currently represented on the map to provide their information for inclusion. Contact Mike McGirr (mmcgirr@clemson.edu), Sharon Purvis (spurvis@tenatthetop.org) or Jeremy Price (jprice@uwpickens.org) for more information.

Read the original media release here

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By Kyle Bandlow, Dow

Dow collaborates with multiple partners to develop and donate Level 2 medical isolation gowns (Photo: Business Wire)

• Collaboration included Magna International, Inc., 3M, Cadillac Products Packaging Company, DuPont, Fitesa, Landaal Packaging Systems, Plastixx FFS Technologies, Shurtape and Volkswagen
• 100,000 isolation gowns to be donated to healthcare professionals

MIDLAND, Mich. ? May 18, 2020 ? For healthcare professionals battling the COVID-19 pandemic, isolation gowns are among the most used and needed personal protective equipment (PPE). In response to this critical need, Dow (NYSE: DOW) collaborated with nine key partners across a myriad of industries to develop and donate 100,000 isolation gowns to help frontline workers in Texas, Louisiana and Mexico.

?The Dow team is proud to continue developing PPE to help our frontline workers, but this effort would not have been possible without our partner companies, each of whom readily stepped up to make this project a reality,? said Michelle Boven, global marketing director for Health & Hygiene at Dow. ?It?s also a testament to how quickly companies can innovate when a diverse team from different organizations across industries come together to achieve a common objective.?

The end-product, Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) Level 2 gowns, required concepting, design, testing, package development and a supply chain. In this case, each collaborator brought their unique expertise to the table, all donating valuable time and resources to the project.

• The gown is made with polyethylene nonwoven coated with a layer of polyethylene film made with resin donated by Dow.
• Fitesa manufactured the nonwoven material that provides tear resistance and soft touch.
• Cadillac Products Packaging Company provided extrusion coating of the film making it durable enough for AAMI Level 2 performance.
• 3M and Shurtape donated the tape to provide barrier performance on the gown sewn seams.
• Mobility technology company, Magna International, Inc., – identified through Dow?s relationship with Volkswagen ? provided resources to cut and sew the gowns.
• DuPont provided isolation gown design expertise.
• Landaal Packaging Systems has donated all the boxes to ship the gowns.
• Plastixx FFS Technologies donated the bags for each gown to be packaged in for distribution.

The 100,000 AAMI Level 2 gowns will be distributed equally to government agencies in Mexico and in the states of Louisiana and Texas.

?Our teams are problem solvers by nature and their passion around helping during these unprecedented times has been nothing short of inspiring,? said Frank Eupizi, director of engineering, Magna International. ?It?s been an honor to witness the same passion at Dow and to collaborate with them to provide medical gowns for healthcare professionals using the skills and expertise normally applied to producing automotive seat covers. We are grateful for the opportunity to make a difference together.?

?Many companies have shown tremendous ingenuity and speed in changing over production to meet the needs for respirators, masks, face shields, hand sanitizer and other products critical to fighting this pandemic,? said Boven from Dow. ?With the accelerated product development, testing and certification of these medical gowns, Dow is proud to be among these innovators and we will continue to look for ways to use our vast material science expertise to address the needs of frontline workers around the world.?

The gowns conform with ASTM and ANSI standards and are labeled in compliance with FDA guidance on non-surgical apparel.

These isolation gowns are the latest action Dow has undertaken to help address the COVID-19 global pandemic crisis:

• On May 14, Dow, Whirlpool Corporation and Reynolds Consumer Products announced the development of a powered, air-purifying respirator, or PAPR, which takes the place of a traditional medical face mask and faces shield.
• On April 17, Dow announced the open source design for a simplified face shield and the donation of 100,000 face shields to hospitals in Michigan.
• On April 9, Dow announced an additional $500,000 donation to the Great Lakes Bay Region in Michigan to aid COVID-19 relief efforts in Dow?s global headquarters community.
• On March 30, Dow announced that sites across North America, Europe and Latin America were set to produce more than 200 metric tons of hand sanitizer, equivalent to more than 880,000 eight-ounce bottles, to be donated to local health systems and government agencies.
• On March 23, Dow committed $3 million to aid COVID-19 relief efforts, with donations going towards global relief organizations, as well as non-profits in communities where Dow operates.

Dow?s material science expertise and production capabilities are used to develop some of the most vital hygiene medical products and technologies to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, such as disinfectants, sanitizers, cleansers, plastics used in the production of disposable PPE for medical professionals, and memory foams for hospital beds.

About Dow

Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation and leading business positions to achieve profitable growth. The Company?s ambition is to become the most innovative, customer centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company. Dow?s portfolio of plastics, industrial intermediates, coatings and silicones businesses delivers a broad range of differentiated science-based products and solutions for its customers in high-growth market segments, such as packaging, infrastructure and consumer care. Dow operates 109 manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employs approximately 36,500 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $43 billion in 2019. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information, please visit www.dow.com or follow @DowNewsroom on Twitter.

Read the original press release here

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By The International Olympic Committee

By Getty Images

Today, The Beijing Organising Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (Beijing 2022) Released the Official Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Sustainability Plan.

The Plan was developed jointly by the People?s Government of Beijing Municipality, the People?s Government of Hebei Province and Beijing 2022. It serves as a programmatic document guiding the sustainability work of the Olympic Games Beijing 2022, and is being implemented throughout the entire process of staging and delivering the Games.

The Beijing 2022 Sustainability Plan reflects the Beijing 2022 mission of being ?green, open, inclusive and clean?, and the reforms introduced through Olympic Agenda 2020 ? the strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement. It is also aligned with the United Nations? 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

By Beijing 2022

?The IOC welcomes the publication of the Beijing 2022 Sustainability Plan, as it provides a comprehensive framework for the overall sustainability vision of the Olympic Games Beijing 2022,? said Juan Antonio Samaranch, Chair of the Beijing 2022 IOC Coordination Commission. ?The Plan also highlights the fact that the Organising Committee Beijing 2022 is working hand-in-hand with the national and regional authorities to achieve their ambitious sustainability objectives.?

The plan promotes the Beijing 2022 Games? sustainability vision of ?Sustainability for the Future?, and identifies three key themes of ?positive environmental impact?, ?new development for the region? and ?better life for the people?. These three themes are supported by 12 actions, 37 key tasks and 119 specific measures, including the environment of the competition zones, regional development, and improvement of well-being for the host communities in Beijing and Zhangjiakou.

By Beijing 2022

A number of measures in the sustainability plan have already been implemented through Beijing 2022?s Sustainability Management System (SMS), which received ISO 20121 certification in November 2019.  Good progress has been achieved in environmental, regional and social development.

• In terms of environmental conservation, the relevant work following Beijing 2022?s production of the Evaluation Standard for Green Snow Sports Venues has been conducted, including monitoring transplanted trees in the competition zones to conserve native flora, and using renewable and recyclable materials in venue construction. Carbon dioxide refrigerants have been introduced to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and a cross-regional electricity trading mechanism has been established to achieve 100 per cent renewable energy in the venues.
• As regards regional development, Games preparations have accelerated the completion of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou High-speed Railway and Beijing-Chongli Expressway; the development of the ice and snow industry has accelerated the development of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Sports Culture Tourism Belt; and Shougang Park has been transformed, becoming a new landmark of urban regeneration.
• Social development has been seen throughout communities, with many residents around the competition zones engaging in new employment structures that have improved their standard of living. Participation in national fitness and community winter sports activities continues on an upward trend, in line with Beijing?s vision of engaging 300 million people in winter sports in China

By Beijing 2022

For more information, visit the Beijing 2022 website.

Find the original press release here

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By Timothy Trefzer, USGBC

The Atlanta convention center has become a temporary medical space for COVID-19 patients.

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By Jorge Catillo, Los Angeles Times

Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman (above), manager Dave Roberts and their wives have been using the time off distributing meals to hospitals to feed front-line workers.(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Andrew Friedman misses baseball. The thrills each day provides. The camaraderie the marathon cultivates. Even the losses.

?Kind of makes me feel alive,? he said.

The Dodgers? president of baseball operations has spent the last two months working more as an accountant than a baseball executive since Major League Baseball suspended its operations. His days consist of phone and Zoom calls, communicating with his staff and checking in on players, unsure if they?ll have a season.

?When it?s safe and plausible, everyone?s interests are perfectly aligned to get back going and that gives me optimism for it happening,? Friedman said.

Friedman spoke over the weekend before MLB and its 30 owners on Monday approved a proposal to present to the players? association. The proposal calls for a regular season between 78 and 82 games, no fans at least to start the season, and limited travel.

MLB also will propose players receive salaries based on a 50-50 split of revenues during the regular season and postseason. The union is expected to dispute the financial outline.

?Everyone involved appreciates that this, no matter what, will be a highly unusual season and just to make the most of it,? Friedman said. ?And obviously it?ll be a strong signal for the entire country when we?re able to get back out there and play.?

In the meantime, Friedman has spent some of these uncertain times helping his community.

Friedman, his wife, Robin, along with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and his wife, Trisha, have had meals distributed to local hospitals from two restaurants ? Union in Pasadena and Bar Hayama in West L.A. ? once a week since March. The plan was hatched from a video chat between the four after Roberts and his wife had begun a similar effort in his native San Diego area.

?We got word that the only thing available to them was vending machines,? Roberts said. ?To help those front-line workers really was a no-brainer.?

Andy Otovic, who works in the Dodgers? medical department, helped coordinate between the restaurants and hospitals.

?From our standpoint, we were able to accomplish two things with this,? Friedman said. ?One was to help local restaurants and the another was providing great food to the people working on the front line during all of this.?

Friedman and his wife, who is on the board of Teach for America in Los Angeles, also have helped get tablets and hotspots into the hands of inner-city children to participate in distance learning. It?s a problem Robin, a former teacher, identified before the pandemic and knew would worsen with schools closed.

?Watching my kids at home, it would be impossible to learn without the resources,? Friedman said. ?So we just wanted to do whatever we can for the education gap not to widen.?

It?s one of the many troubling realities spawned from the pandemic. Baseball?s shutdown pales in comparison, but its return would provide a welcome diversion for fans. For the Dodgers, it would give them a chance to win a World Series with a roster as talented as any in the majors.

?We have a highly motivated group,? Friedman said, ?that?s excited about getting back out there when we?re able to.?

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By Greg Johns, Seattle Mariners

SEATTLE — With Major League Baseball still sidelined, the Mariners are opening up their T-Mobile Park parking garage to be used for free COVID-19 drive-through testing on Wednesday and Thursday.

Pre-registration is required for participants, with about 250 vehicles allowed each day of the initial trial run between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. PT.

Registration can be made online by Seattle area residents at krogerhealth.com/covidtesting or by calling (888) 852-2567 (select option 1, then option 3).

Those seeking a test will use a virtual screening tool based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines to see if they are eligible. Those eligible will select a testing location and appointment time. Registrants will receive an email confirmation with pre-appointment paperwork to complete.

When a person arrives for their test, they should have their photo ID ready and should leave their window rolled up for check-in until a health-care practitioner comes to the car to administer the test.

Patients remain in their cars throughout the process, which takes just a few minutes using self-administered test kits with nasal swabs, which are less painful and designed to increase safety. This onsite testing is supported with laboratory services provided by eTrueNorth, a contractor of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Test results are expected within about 48 hours.

The program is in partnership with the city of Seattle, QFC and Fred Meyer.

“While we wait for baseball to return to T-Mobile Park, we are proud to have the ballpark continue to serve as a valuable community asset by hosting the drive-through COVID-19 testing through this partnership with the city of Seattle and Kroger,” said Trevor Gooby, the Mariners senior vice president of ballpark operations.

“Our vision is to help people live healthier lives, and it has never been more important as we help to expand testing across Washington,” said Chris Albi, president of QFC.

The Mariners had previously opened up T-Mobile Park to be used as part of a blood drive with Bloodworks Northwest to help local hospitals maintain their supply during the COVID-19 crisis. That program will continue through May.

Read the original story here

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By Terry Grant, Arizona State University

Volunteers unload contributions from cars during the First Peoples? COVID-19 Resource Drive on May 7.
Photo by Darryl Sam

ASU alumni organize essential-needs drive for tribal communities affected by COVID-19

With less than three weeks to organize and gather sponsor support, a trio of Arizona State University alumni loaded a 21-foot moving truck on May 7 and delivered emergency supplies for the people of the Navajo Nation beleaguered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

When ASU alumnus Darryl Sam, a member of the Navajo Nation, and his wife, Katherine, saw how the pandemic was ravaging the people who live on Navajo tribal lands, they knew they had to help.

?We were sitting on our couch at home watching reports that per capita, the Navajo Nation was the third-largest COVID-19 epicenter in the country. We decided we had to do something,? said Sam, who has many relatives living there. ?This is my family.?

The Sams? family project started out of their garage, using social media, texting and phone calls to friends and co-workers to spread the word. Sam, the owner of Sam Construction and an owner?s representative with minority-owned Dextera LLC, also began to reach out to his industry connections.

Around the same, ASU alumna Kari McCormick, national director of client services for Wenaha Group, a Native American-owned construction management/owner?s representative firm, was also seeking ways to help.

One of the first tribes to be affected by COVID-19 was the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Oregon, which is the tribal community of the Wenaha Group?s President Rob Quaempts.

?By mid-March, everything in Washington was crazy as we watched the pandemic play out,? said McCormick. ?When COVID-19 hit the Navajo Nation, people around the country contacted me to ask why it was hitting the tribal nations so hard, especially Navajo. As I explained the systemic issues that create a perfect storm, like multigenerational families living in close quarters, people were shocked and wanted to help.?

Wenaha Group tasked McCormick with taking action to see what, as one small business, they could do.

?I immediately reached out to Darryl and Katherine, and it was like a miracle unfolding with everyone and everything fitting into place,? said McCormick.

Together, the alumni created the First Peoples? COVID-19 Resource Drive.

?We were very intentional about naming the fundraiser ‘First Peoples’ as we recognized that not only the Navajo Nation was being hit hard by this pandemic, so were other tribes,? explained McCormick. ?It was our commitment to be able to help any Southwestern tribe that needed additional support.?

McCormick, who is on the board of directors for the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering?s Construction in Indian Country Program, enlisted Program Director Marcus Denetdale for support. Denetdale is also a Sun Devil alum.

?ASU was all in,? said Denetdale, who ? with ASU Foundation Engineering Business Relations Coordinator Anna Wales ? rapidly navigated the approval and permit process to host a different kind of tailgate event in the Tempe campus’ stadium parking lot.

The first result of the collaborative effort was three drive-through locations for drop-offs on Thursday, May 7, the largest of which was in Sun Devil Stadium Lot 59. The other two locations were Metrocenter Mall in Phoenix and the Native American Fathers & Families Association in Mesa.

In conjunction with orchestrating the drive-throughs and securing the necessary equipment, social distancing supplies and volunteers for the event, McCormick also coordinated the effort with the Navajo Housing Authority.

For the collected resources to get directly into the homes of those most in need, McCormick knew it would require someone who interfaces regularly with elders and had direct connection to the tribe.

?NHA had been working on a needs assessment plan for seniors for 10 years,? said McCormick. ?Within the last few months, they were able to release a 311 App for elders. The timing was perfect.?

The app enables seniors to notify NHA of urgent needs ? ranging from water and food to items like toilet paper and disinfectants.

?The NHA will deliver the supplies directly to the elders so they don?t have to leave their homes,? McCormick explained.

The NHA also cleared out a warehouse in Fort Defiance to store the supplies gathered during the First People?s Covid-19 Resource Drive.

NABEDC, a federally funded agency that serves all tribal individuals and enterprises, and the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce also jumped in, reaching out to their networks to promote the event, find volunteers and provide boxes and packaging materials.

Dose Moving and Storage donated a large moving van and the services of two drivers to transport the collected supplies to the Navajo Nation, and M3 Commercial Moving and Logistics provided boxes and staffing and helped set up the website.

According to Darryl Sam, dozens of small contractors also helped provide packaging materials and volunteers, as well as funding through the group?s GoFundMe page.

Additional drive-throughs are planned in the near future, according to Denetdale, with the donations going to other affected tribal nations, including the Hopi and San Carlos Apache people, as well as to a Pueblo in New Mexico.

Requested donations are listed on the First Peoples? website.

?It was so gratifying to be there on Thursday morning as the parade of Sun Devils came through the donation line,? said Denetdale. ?Everyone was flashing their ‘forks up’ hand signs, and many were wearing ASU gear.

?Many who actually live closer to other drop-off locations made the trek to the stadium,? said Denetdale. ?Not only did they bring critical supplies, they made on-site donations. Children gathered their change or proudly donated their allowance.

?The Sun Devil Nation showed up for the Navajo Nation.?

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