The USOC announced Monday that it will launch a sustainability program called
the "The Green Ring" that will see it work with its corporate partners
to adopt environmentally-friendly practices. The most significant
initiative of the new program is the result of a partnership with BP
that will see the oil and energy company provide carbon offsets for Team
USA's travel to the London Games. In addition to that, the USOC will
adopt sustainable practices at its three Olympic Training Centers. Dow,
an IOC sponsor, will analyze fertilizer used at the center in Chula
Vista, Calif.; General Electric will provide products like motion detectors to control
electricity use; and the organization will develop a recycling program
and add water efficient toilets and faucets. The USOC's fleet of
vehicles at the training centers will be carbon neutral as a result of
offsets provided by BP. USOC partner Deloitte worked with the
organization to develop "The Green Ring" program. The organization
expects more sponsors to participate in the future, including
McDonald's, which will investigate farm-to-table options for food at
training centers, and Anheuser-Busch, which will undertake a water
management audit.