Our future is sustainability

Tokyo 2020 is set to be the greenest-ever Olympic Games

The Olympics that opened on Friday 23 July 2021 will be the Games of sustainability. A few examples? According to standards set by the International Olympic Committee, the 1,089 medals awarded to the winning athletes are made from waste metal, more specially from metal extracted from almost 79,000 tonnes of mobile phones and other electronic devices. Sustainability has always been at the centre of our world and it must become the focus of our everyday lives. This is important for everything, even for interior design projects and for the finishes of our living spaces, which must be green and environmentally friendly.

A zero-impact village

For example, the athletes’ village was built using timber donated by more than 60 municipalities for Operation “Baton” (which stands for “Building Athletes’ Village with Timber Of the Nation”). After the games end on 9 August, the Olympic Village Plaza will be dismantled and the timber will be returned to the communities for reuse. Sustainability also means hiring 19,000 chairs and tables, and 65,000 computers, tablets, TVs and electrical appliances, which will be “reconditioned” after the Games and may carry a special stamp that says, “Used for the Tokyo Olympic Games.” Athletes need to be well rested before an important competition. For them, the organisers have prepared 19,000 beds made of recycled cardboard and mattresses made of recycled plastic, capable of supporting up to 200 kilograms of weight….so even dreams will be sustainable!

Special ceremonies

Incredible to believe, but winners will receive their medals (gold, silver and bronze) atop podiums made from recycled plastic waste. If you don’t believe how sustainable these Olympics are, then ask the torchbearers, who passed from hand to hand an Olympic torch (whose flame is powered by clean hydrogen) made of waste aluminium derived from the temporary houses built after the terrible earthquake and tsunami of 11 March 2011. Respect for the environment and reuse really becomes an everyday gesture here.

The evolution of ceramics is green

Porcelain stoneware is becoming essential for building the spaces of today and tomorrow in a sustainable way. In addition to being the best solution for guaranteeing safe, long-lasting hygiene in the home, the porcelain stoneware produced by Coem is also sustainable. For years the company has been investing in innovation and new technologies aimed at making its products not only beautiful but also green. For example, the tiles not only bring together beauty, nature and design, but also meet the highest standards of sustainability. Coem’s “green” porcelain stoneware is made with natural raw materials and the partial use of recycled materials.

A company philosophy, a philosophy of life

To offer products that are truly green, it’s not enough to talk about sustainability: a company should be able to demonstrate that its philosophy, production processes and products take environmental issues into consideration. This is why Coem has voluntarily chosen to certify its processes and products by obtaining the Environmental Management System Certification from CERTIQUALITY in compliance with the optional EMAS III and ISO 14001:2015 standards. Coem is also a member of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the American Association in charge of implementing and regulating the construction of sustainable buildings through LEED certification.
This is the culmination of years of work, in the knowledge that this is not a goal, but a step towards increasingly sustainable development.

Nature must be respected and loved

We know that nature must be respected and protected. Its beauty, simplicity and harmony inspire the textural mood of Coem’s collections and add value to our indoor and outdoor spaces. It’s important to know that the Coem products are made from recycled, resistant, durable, hygienic and easy to clean materials, with excellent energy and insulation performance. The eco-sustainable requirements help to improve the quality and safety of indoor environments and do not interfere with the aesthetic quality of the porcelain stoneware support, which is always at the forefront of design and technological innovation. Let’s think green, let’s live green! Learn more about the Coem philosophy and its commitment to sustainability.