MANUAL SPORT ENVIRONMENT

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CHAPTER I:
KEY CONCEPTS AND ISSUES CONCERNING SPORT AND THE ENVIRONM ENT
The env ironment is everything that surrounds an organis m or organis ms , inc luding
both natural and human-built elements. Human beings, as all the other species that
form the global ecosystem, have always interacted with their environment and, in the
proc ess, shaped it to some extent. How ever, human beings are the only species able
to affect the ecosystems considerably. Since ancient times, the use of fire has altered
flora and fauna, farmers have cut forests and domes ticated certain s pecies of
animals , and early civ iliz ations hav e transformed deserts through irrigation.
Today, the Earth itself is undergoing a global transformation. Rapid population
grow th combined w ith the dev elopment of foss il fuel-bas ed industrialized societies
has dramatically acc elerated the impact on the environment. Climate change, the
global destruction or pollution of ecosystems and other environmental problems are
clos ely linked to our attitudes and practices. This als o applies to s ports activ ities . Like
any other human activ ity, sport is set in a physical environment and has effects on it.
The practic e of sport inc ludes activ ities at different levels. It ranges from persons w ho
occasionally engage in sports activities and phys ic al educ ation to elite athletes, from
s mall c lubs to International Federations, from loc al c ompetitions to c hampionships
and large scale events s uc h as the Olympic Games. The practic e of sport implies, to
a varying degree, a structured organiz ation, sports fac ilities and equipment, logistics
and spons ors, media, and athletes of course, i.e. persons w ho prac tice a s port more
or less intensiv ely.
Figure 1: Acti vities and needs created by s ports events
Catering
Accommodation
Sanit ation
Transport
Energy
Wast e
management
Building
Produci ng
Maintaining