It had me from the first snowflake.

http://vimeo.com/5056784?pg=embed&sec=

Video and words taken from steve casimiro

The elements of skiing’s appeal are quite simple. Crisp, cold, clean air. Mountains. Gravity. Speed. And above all, the magic of snow. It is a romantic pursuit, this skiing thing, a beautiful one, and if you love it as I do, with everything you have, you will find something, many things probably, in this video to make you feel like you’ve come home.

The video is an ad for Telluride. It’s an ad, yes, but it more perfectly captures the sweet love affair with skiing than anything I’ve seen in a long time, and that includes documentary ski movies and magazines. There are a few cliches and some obvious bones thrown to the marketers, but they’re far overshadowed by the sense of wonder and spirit of appreciation that we actually get to ski and to experience places as delightful as Telluride. So, kudos to Ben Knight and Felt Soul Media for applying their patient cinematography to skiing and to the folks of Telluride who funded the project and trusted that words are unnecessary. There’s a difference between sharing and selling, and this video proves it.

http://vimeo.com/5056784?pg=embed&sec=

Shot and edited in the winter of 2009 in collaboration with the Telluride Visitors Center, Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association, Telluride Ski Resort and Telluride Mountainfilm in hopes of giving viewers a soulful, non-commercial look at the winter experience in Telluride. Filmed & edited by Ben Knight | Music by Explosions in the Sky

The crucial role played by Sports in various aspects of sustainable development was discussed by UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner in an address to the ‘Forum on Productive Youth Development through Sport in Africa’.

The Forum brought together practitioners and experts in the field of sport and productive youth development to share experiences on best practice, discuss collaboration strategies and make recommendations on Sport and Development.

Describing the role of environmental sustainability in sports, Mr. Steiner cited the success of the Beijing Olympics in not just meeting, but exceeding the environmental standards outlined by the International Olympic Committee.

Mr. Steiner, who is also UN Under-Secretary-General, said “I think Beijing stands out at the moment when the Olympic games had perhaps its most transformative impact in terms of the host city going well beyond the parameters in terms of Beijing itself and the country”.

Over the past ten years, UNEP has worked closely with the International Olympic Committee in setting criteria to define the sustainability of cities that want to host the Olympic Games.

Mr. Steiner also acknowledged the intersection between youth, sports and the environment, that was most evident in the work of Tunza, UNEP’s youth network.

“Sports has become a way in which youth can combine the reality of their enthusiasm to be engaged in sports while also taking social responsibility and doing something about their communities, neighbourhoods and the issue of environmental sustainability.”

Taken from: http://www.azocleantech.com/Details.asp?newsID=5964

Making sport operations and activities environmentally-friendly is possible, underlined the director of a French observatory for sport and sustainable development in an interview with EurActiv.

Sustainable development is the answer to sports-related global problems, said Nathalie Durand, director-general of the French Observatory of Sport and Sustainable Development (OSDD).

The problems to be addressed include air pollution affecting athletes’ health, greenhouse gas emissions generated by sports equipment and water used by swimming pools and golf courses amid current fears of water scarcity, she explained.

According to Durand, irresponsible economic practices and intensive production of sports equipment should also be considered.

She described sport as an actor in territorial development, with environmental, social and economic impacts. It also affects competition for land, consumption of goods and foods, and waste, transport and CO2, she said. Durand believes in furthering cooperation between all actors.

Making sport sustainable requires global consideration of the impact of sports infrastructure, equipment, events, clubs and related transport, Durand underlined, adding that OSDD had developed the idea of life-cycle assessment (LCA) for sporting activities as well as an accompanying means of evaluating progress.

The full article can be found at http://www.euractiv.com/en/sports/eu-sport-sustainable/article-182872

Blue Ambassador Sara Campbell is interviewed by Chris Harvey for The Telegraph, and gives a candid view on how she became a World Champion Freediver.

Sara Campbell took up freediving three years ago to escape the traumas of life on dry land. Already the world record holder for descending to 96m on one lungful of air, she now has her sights on even greater depths.

For the full article click here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/diving/5443180/Sara-Campbell-working-under-pressure.html