The year was 2021. Feels like eons ago, doesn’t it?
It was back then that the world was buzzing about the Tokyo Olympics and how beds were made of cardboard for sustainability purposes, which we love to see. But then there was this myth that the beds were made to collapse if more than one person was, uh, active on them and then the phrasing was that they were “anti-sex beds” and it all spiraled out of control.
It got to the point where athletes proved on video that the beds wouldn’t collapse and then we ended up with tweets like this:
Contrary to some reports, the recyclable cardboard beds at the Olympic Village are NOT designed to collapse & prevent athletes from having sex (which is strongly discouraged due to Covid-19). #Tokyo2020 is a greener games, relying on renewable energy & minimizing waste. https://t.co/BcHkmoAEvh
— Will Ripley (@willripleyCNN) July 19, 2021
Thanks for debunking the myth.😂You heard it first from @TeamIreland gymnast @McClenaghanRhys – the sustainable cardboard beds are sturdy! #Tokyo2020 https://t.co/lsXbQokGVE
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) July 19, 2021
Fastforward to 2024. We’re all getting ready for the Paris Olympics and the cardboard beds are back. Per Inside the Games:
The bed bases are made from reinforced cardboard and the mattresses are made from recycled fishing nets, the same system used at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Much of the street furniture is made from reclaimed wood, while some of the public lighting is made from recycled steel tubes.
So, get your mind out of the gutter, especially because — as the Huffington Post reported — the so-called “intimacy ban” that was in place in Tokyo has been lifted.
And the beds? They’re made for sustainability purposes, not to prevent … other stuff.