2008 Beijing Olympics

Will the 2008 Olympics trigger the last phase of Beijing Collapse?

Fu Ying, China’s Ambassador to the UK [Toast at CBBC Cocktail Reception, Marsh’s Office – 2008-1-8 )

It will probably be one of the largest in the world. The figures I hear are daunting: Beijing is expecting over 5 million visitors . . .

Other Participants

Athletes and officials: 17,000
Journalists: 30,000
Volunteers: 100,000

Other Information

“Local” Impact
Duration of games: 16 days (8-24 August 2008 )
Visitors water consumption: 8-10Gl (gigaliters)
Drinking water: 0.5Gl
Food: 120million kg
Waste produced (municipal and industrial) : 10billion kg
Additional stress exerted on the sinking ground: 478Pa (nominal stress on an area of 225km²)

Beijing: Heavy air pollution has resulted in widespread smog. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Global Impact

Number of visitors: 5,000,000 (see the above statement by Fu Ying, China’s Ambassador to the UK)
Total amount of fuel consumed (Traveling to and from Beijing): 687 million liters
CO2 produced: 1.5mmt (million metric tons of CO2)

Can the world afford the Olympics? Isn’t it time the Olympics were relegated to the dustbin of History?

Related Links:

• Collapsing Cities
• Drying Aquifers, Sinking Cities