Paris 2024: Elite Athletes Call On Coca-Cola And PepsiCo To Push For Reuse
Keep the torch lit for reuse and reusable packaging after the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. That is the request to CEOs of Coca-Cola and PepsiCo from over 100 elite athletes, including Paris 2024 hopefuls and world champions, in an open letter sent on Wednesday.
The 113 signatories, including 102 athletes, 22 of whom will compete in Paris, want the organizations to “use Paris 2024 as a launchpad for introducing more reuse at future Olympic Games and other sporting events” and less single-use plastic. Paris 2024 will be the largest sporting event ever to serve beverages in reusable packaging at scale, although French newspaper Le Monde has reported that 40% of drinks served will still be in plastic bottles.
“Escalating plastic pollution poses a significant threat to nature, compromising the health of our environment and, by extension, our own health and performance,” the letter states. “The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be the perfect opportunity for you and your companies to trigger a sea change in how the world understands packaging and light the torch for reuse.”
Alessia Zecchini, a 39-time free diving world record-holder, and Zach Apple, two-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer for Team USA, are among the open letter signatories.
The letter also asks the CEOs to make reuse an option for all customers globally, dramatically increase reusable packaging by 2030 and advocate to include legally binding targets to increase reusable packaging in national legislation and in the United Nations plastics treaty.
“Recycling alone will not solve the plastic pollution crisis,” the letter highlights, noting that “only 9% of all plastic waste ever generated has been recycled.” “Prioritizing the reduction of plastic production and transition to reuse systems” is crucial. A 10% increase in reusable beverage packaging globally by 2030 could eliminate the need for over 1 trillion single-use plastic bottles and cups, according to research by Oceana.
This environmentally focused open letter quickly follows another released in June by Ecoathletes and signed by 14 Olympians, including Paris 2024 hopefuls Alena Olsen of USA Women’s Rugby 7s and Canadian rower Jenny Casson. The athletes urge the International Olympic Committee to replace their sponsor Toyota with a “more technologically advanced, more transparent, and much lower emissions mobility partner.”
Athletes are also leading awareness-raising events for sustainability in the run up to Paris 2024. Olympians Chris Boardman CBE and Dame Katharine Grainger are leading Sport England’s “Pedal to Paris.” This 550 mile cycle, ending in Paris ahead of the Games opening ceremony, will highlight inspirational and innovative organizations in England that are working to become environmentally sustainable.
“Without action, we will lose even more opportunities to be active, to look after our health, to connect communities,” said Chris Boardman CBE, chair of Sport England, “so we have a duty to act now to protect these things that we love.”
Climate science has been amplified by athletes ahead of the Games also. In June, the British Association for Sustainable Sport, Climate Central and Front Runners launched the Rings of Fire report, which highlights rising temperatures and the physiological impacts for athletes competing in extreme heat.
Elite athletes shared their personal experiences and raised the alarm around the threats they face. “At the Tokyo Olympics it was impossible to hydrate well enough to combat the heat and humidity,” shared Marcus Daniell, bronze medallist at the Tokyo Games in the men’s tennis doubles. “Dehydration, headaches and lethargy were normal and it was pure bad luck if you had to play through the hottest part of the day. At the time I felt like the heat was bordering on true risk – the type of risk that could potentially be fatal.”
From sharing these personal human experiences, organizing to demand change and raising awareness through events and reports, there is a rise of environmentally conscious elite athletes using their platforms for purpose. When it comes to tackling the climate and pollution crisis, they are going for gold.