Tokyo Olympic medals: not only stylish, but also environmentally friendly
This is the first project in the history of the Olympic Games to involve residents in the production of medals.
The Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games will take place from July 23 to August 8. But they can already be called the cleanest competitions in the history of sports. Winners and medalists will receive awards made from recycled electronics.
The Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games held the Tokyo 2020 Medal Project, in which Japanese residents collected discarded household appliances for the production of Olympic and Paralympic medals. Read more about “green” awards in our article.
With care for nature
From April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2019, branded yellow boxes stood on the streets of Japanese cities and in post offices. People were encouraged to hand in their unwanted phones and gadgets.
Over 2 years, the project participants collected almost 79 tons of electronic devices. After processing, 32 kilograms of gold, 3500 kilograms of silver and 2200 kilograms of bronze were extracted from them. This was enough for 5000 thousand Olympic medals.
Not only environmentally friendly, but also stylish
The idea for the look of the Olympic medals was put forward by Japanese designer Yunichi Kawanishi. His work was selected from more than 400 entries from residents of the country.
The medals look like polished rough stones. This reflects the concept: “To achieve glory, athletes must strive to win every day.” One side of the award features the Greek goddess of victory, Nika, standing proudly in front of the Panathinaikos Stadium in Athens. On the other is the engraving “Tokyo 2020” and the five Olympic rings, the traditional symbol of an international sporting event.
Above them is the Japanese Ichimatsu pattern of staggered quadrilaterals. The different shapes of the geometric figures symbolize the diversity of cultures in the world.
The diameter of the medal is 85 millimeters, thickness – from 7.7 to 12.1 millimeters depending on the raw material. It is noteworthy that the gold medal is made of pure silver and covered with only 6 grams of gold, while the bronze medal consists of red brass – 95% copper and 5% zinc. The medals range in weight from 450 to 556 grams.
The ribbon pays tribute to the ancient traditions of Japanese craftsmanship and Olympic values. It is decorated with traditional Japanese motifs: harmonized checkered patterns and traditional kimono layering techniques.
The medal case is made of Japanese ash wood and painted the same color as the Olympic emblem. Each has a unique pattern of wood fibers, symbolizing the Olympians taking to the starting line.
Not the first recycled medals
The idea of creating medals from recycled waste is not new. For example, at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the awards consisted of metals from recycling old microchips and electrical circuit boards.
And in 2016, the silver and bronze medals for the Rio Olympics were made from 30 percent recycled electrical appliances.
But the Tokyo 2020 Medal Project wins out over its predecessors in terms of scale. For the first time, citizens across the country actively donated gadgets to produce the medals.