Let the Games Begin

Never Give Up

In my little town we have a small skatepark. It’s not much, just a few wooden ramps where kids can practice their skateboarding tricks. On any given day there can be a whole slew of kids out there working on new tricks. They fall repeatedly as they try to perfect new tricks. And when they finally complete that trick the celebration from every skater in the park is huge. It’s infections and a testament to never give up!

Dream Big

For one local skater, Poe Pinson, this never give up attitude is exactly what has taken her to new heights. Watching her grow up in our little skatepark has been a joy. It truly shows that hard work, determination, and a dream can take you far in life. 

Poe was one of those kids in the little skatepark, falling over and over again until she managed to pull of that new trick. And now Poe is poised to skate on the world’s largest stage, the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Here’s to every kid putting in the time, never giving up and dreaming big.

For the moment, we eagerly anticipate witnessing Poe and numerous other athletes who’ve dedicated themselves to achieving their dreams of competing on the global stage.

The City of Light

As the world gears up for the Paris Olympics the focus is not only on athletic excellence but also on sustainability. In an era marked by environmental concerns and climate change, hosting major events like the Olympics comes with a responsibility to minimize the ecological footprint and set a precedent for sustainable practices. The Paris Olympics aims to do just that by embracing sustainability in every aspect of its organization.

The preparations for the Paris Olympics mark a significant milestone, being the first to fully incorporate the International Olympic Committee’s Agenda 2020+5. This framework aims to modernize and optimize the hosting of major events, emphasizing sustainability and responsibility.

The Paris 2024 Legacy and Sustainability strategy is built upon two core fundamentals. First, it seeks to establish a more responsible model for organizing and staging major events, setting a new standard for future host cities. Second, it aims to foster social and environmental transformation, ensuring that the legacy of the Games extends far beyond the sport.

Paris adopted a ‘circular heritage model‘ in its Olympic preparations, prioritizing the utilization of existing cultural and sporting infrastructure to minimize costs and carbon emissions. Approximately 95% of the sports venues were either existing structures or temporary installations, with iconic sites like the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium, venue for the 1924 Olympics, taking center stage once again. This approach significantly reduced the event’s costs to $9.4 billion, notably lower than the last summer Olympics in Tokyo at $13 billion and the record setting winter Olympics in Sochi at $55 billion.

In the landscape of Paris’ Olympic preparations, the Aquatics Centre stands as the only new permanent sports facility, distinguished by its innovative design as a sustainable modular timber structure. Notably, the venue achieves self-sufficiency in energy, courtesy of its roof adorned with photovoltaic panels.

Games for the People

In a departure from past host cities, Paris opted against constructing a centralized Olympic Park, instead spreading competitions across various sites throughout the city. Moreover, it will make history as the first host city to stage its opening ceremony outside an Olympic Stadium, utilizing the iconic River Seine. This inclusive approach aligns with the idea of creating a Games accessible to all, with many spectators enjoying free access to the event.

The Paris Olympics represents an opportunity to demonstrate the compatibility of large-scale events with environmental sustainability. By prioritizing green initiatives and embracing innovation, Paris is setting a new standard for future Olympic host cities and inspiring a global movement towards a more sustainable future. 

So, mark your calendars, get ready to cheer on Poe and all your favorite athletes. It’s a time to come together as a global community, to celebrate the spirit of competition and unity. 

Let the games begin!

For The Good
Michael Nichols

Numbers You Need to Know

776 BC

The first recorded Olympic Games were held at Olympia in the Greek city-state of Elis in 776 B.C., but it is generally accepted that the Olympics were at least 500 years old at that time. The ancient Olympics, held every four years, occurred during a religious festival honoring the Greek god Zeus. (History)

2:58

Spyridon Louis was a 24-year-old Greek shepherd who became the hero of the 1896 Games (the first modern Olympic Games) when he won the marathon race in 2 hours and 58 minutes. This was the event the Greek hosts wanted to win more than any other due to its great historical significance.. (Olympics.com)

0

The number of medals Michael Phelps won in his first Olympics. Since then Phelps has accumulated an astonishing 28 medals in total: his 23 gold medals are more than double the count of his nearest rivals. (Olympics.com)

What’s New in Sustainable Investing

Boomberg Launches Customizable and Transparent Sustainable Investment Screening Tool

Bloomberg launched of a new tool that helps investors assess sustainability criteria and thresholds customized by the user. The solution facilitates a transparent screening process and can be used both for making investment decisions and to help clients with regulatory compliance. (Bloomberg)

Four reasons why sustainable investing is becoming more popular

So, what’s behind this major shift? A few factors are at play here – namely changing regulations, investment performance, an increasing number of options and broader megatrends like the clean energy transition. (Chase)

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