Traveling to far off destinations used to be limited to booking an airline, packing a bag and fumbling with the language. Today, an average of 55 million tourists seek a travel experience that immerses them in the areas they’re visiting…from local customs, geography, environment, economics and more. It’s called Geotourism and it is driven strongly by a philosophy called sustainability.
The true definition of sustainability is “to endure.” But for humans that means the long term maintenance, stewardship and responsibility encompassing environmental, economic and social dimensions. Its presence is becoming a staple in our world as we desperately try to learn how to preserve what earth has gifted us. Sustainability can be found at most world sporting events as evident at the venues and in athletes themselves.
Jill Savery, Gold Medal Olympian (1996 Synchronized Swimming) earned a Master’s Degree in Environmental Management from Yale University and combined both experiences to put her in the position she’s in today. As Head of Sustainability for the America’s Cup Event Authority (San Francisco 2013) and consultant to the “Towards One Planet 2012” Bio Regional Development Group (2012 Olympic Summer Games), Jill drove the vision and commitment to minimize the footprint of these major sporting events. She continues to serve as a co-opted expert to the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012 and is a consultant to the Reno Tahoe Winter Games Coalition (RTWGC).
Recently, Jill participated in the one-day “2012 Geotourism Conference and Workshop” held May 22 at Sierra Nevada College in Incline Village, Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Mixed with a panel of experts from climate control to snow making, she stirred the audience with slides of London’s Olympic Park citing the magnificent sustainable accomplishment the world is about to see come July. “It’s not a perfect science by any means,” said Jill, “but the event organizers in the world are now expecting this as opposed to entertaining the philosophy.” For the athletes as well as the spectators, and event cities, this is welcomed news.
The IOC (International Olympic Committee) Charter adopted Agenda 21 in 1999 recognizing the following: “Responsibility towards the promotion and inclusion of sustainable development, considering the environment as an integral dimension of the Olympics, alongside sport and culture. That the games take place in conditions that take into account the environment in a responsible way and collaborate with the public and private authorities with the aim of placing sport at the service of humanity.”
Jill’s recent book release, “Sustainability and Sport,” addresses this challenge and is the first publication of its kind in this emerging field. Perhaps one day it will become a resource for successfully adapting this philosophy, or Jill certainly hopes it will. Her commitment is visible in her eyes when she proclaims, “We all need to change our behaviors by fostering sustainable lifestyles and sport is leading the way.”
