London Olympics- A sustainable Choice

• PHOTOS

Swifter, higher, stronger—this is the motto of the Modern Olympics. But the London 2012 Olympics promise to add something else to this admirable motto: "more sustainable". Sustainability underpinned London's winning bid to the International Olympic Committee to host the 2012 Games.

The main Olympic site is located in what was one of the poorest boroughs in the U.K in terms of economic and social opportunities. And one of the goals of the Olympics is to kick start urban regeneration in what was once a heavily industrialized but now marginalized area. All those involved in London 2012 are committed to balancing the need for development with the commitment to maximizing sustainability through all phases of the Games: building the venues, staging the Games themselves and then long into the future, what planners call "legacy". Our walk will introduce visitors to some key areas of sustainability for London 2012: fighting climate change, reducing waste, enhancing biodiversity, promoting inc

Swifter, higher, stronger—this is the motto of the Modern Olympics. But the London 2012 Olympics promise to add something else to this admirable motto: "more sustainable". Sustainability underpinned London's winning bid to the International Olympic Committee to host the 2012 Games.

The main Olympic site is located in what was one of the poorest boroughs in the U.K in terms of economic and social opportunities. And one of the goals of the Olympics is to kick start urban regeneration in what was once a heavily industrialized but now marginalized area. All those involved in London 2012 are committed to balancing the need for development with the commitment to maximizing sustainability through all phases of the Games: building the venues, staging the Games themselves and then long into the future, what planners call "legacy". Our walk will introduce visitors to some key areas of sustainability for London 2012: fighting climate change, reducing waste, enhancing biodiversity, promoting inclusion and healthy living.

We start the walk at Bromley-by-Bow Underground station and we visit Three Mills on the River Lea, an important tributary of the River Thames, just to the south of the boundary of the Olympic Games site. The historic House Mill is the largest tidal mill still in existence in the world dating back to 1776. The mill now has a grant to start work on generating its own power supply from the tides of the River Lea: we will learn about the education and training opportunities this investment offers for the local area.

Nearby is the Three Mills studio, a favorite of film directors Tim Burton, Danny Boyle and Ken Loach. The movies Brick Lane, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Enduring Love were partly filmed here. The studio will form part of the legacy element after the Games by promoting local training and recruitment into the British Film Industry.

We continue northwest long a canalized branch of the River Lea and see how the river and banks are being cleared and wildlife encouraged along this important tributary of the River Thames. Next is the Bryant and May self-lighting match factory, once the site of the famous 19th century match girls strike and now a luxury address, known as the Bow Quarter. Here we'll discuss the older industries of this part of East London and how the legacy of the Games will promote local inclusion in terms of future employment opportunities. If time allows, we’ll move on to Fish Island for a break at H. Foreman and Sons, the oldest salmon smokery in Britain and home of the famous "London Cure”.

Via the Greenway, an elevated public footpath that gives us a superb view, we’ll reach the Olympic construction site itself. We finish back at Three Mills with perhaps a visit to the House Mill cafe run by local volunteers, the River Lea Tidal Mill Trust. Or perhaps a view of the landscaping of Mill Meads Park, where you can learn more about the regeneration work done by the Lea Valley Regional Park and Thames21, linking this area to a string of urban parks and walkways south to the Thames. This walk will leave you with a greater understanding of this area, of the importance of the event and how the Games will leave a huge social and cultural legacy in London!