Exploding the smarmometer at Ice Station Zebra

by Paul Myers

Article published on the 2008-08-14 Latest update 2008-08-14 14:23 TU

Lightning over Beijing - storms played havoc with Thursday's schedule
(Photo: Reuters)

Oh yes, I’ve settled in. Well and truly into my stride. It must be something to do with recovery from the jet lag. It might, in fact, have something to do with being better lagged. I was finding it odd that I was sniffing despite temperatures being between 88 and 92F.

All the pre-Games publicity about the environment made me think it might be something to do with air quality. But I think it’s the air-conditioning. I’m not used to it. From numbing humidity outside into the Ice Station Zebra that is the International Broadcast Centre.

For a press conference involving the soon to be anointed world number one tennis player Rafael Nadal and the rest of the Spain team, I went from the ice station out into the clammy madness and then into the Main Press Centre which seems also to be microclimatically linked to the polar icecaps. Not good. To offset these extremes I’ve now started wearing a jacket inside the IBC.

Personally, I find it odd that I need to think about extra layers in these sort of temperatures but ay, there’s the rub. I feel cosier and that’s made me feel better or it’s perhaps overheating my self-belief..

While being given a cordial but functional tour of the Olympic Village Pin Centre, the Pin ambassador was explaining to me the environmentally friendly properties of the centre.

“China is a big country and so we’ve got to be aware of not making too much pollution,” she added.

“Is that something your generation is more aware of?" I inquired.

“What, you’re 22, 23…is that something you were told about during your school days?

“No I’m 19;”

“Oh I’m sorry, it’s just that your English is so good I thought you must be older.”

Even I knew the needle had exploded off the smarmometer. But Chen Xi – all 19 years of her – guided me a tad more fervently around the centre outlining in far more detail the whizzer projects.

There's one in which the athletes are given a T-shirt emblazoned with “I’m From Earth” because it has been made from five recycled plastic bottles.

While Chen was talking to me, a Croatian athlete was measuring up for his free sample. He was XXL and actually looked like he was hewn from granite. The drift is to hand it out to the competitors so that when they wear it they will remember their time in Beijing and also highlight China’s increasing desire for environmental engagement.

When I spoke to Ms Chen only 5,000 of the 11,000-odd athletes staying in the Olympic Village had taken up the offer. I suggested that any leftovers should be handed out to the journalists.

“That’s always a great way to get the message across,” I added.

“That’s a good idea. I will say it to my manager.”

Touché!