Boris Johnson on Green Day

THE capital turned green today as thousands of Londoners signed up to make the city an eco-haven for visitors to the Olympic Games.

Gold medallists including cyclist Victoria Pendleton, rower James Cracknell and Paralympic swimmer Eleanor Simmonds all backed the first Green Britain Day.

It marks the start of the Team Great Britain challenge, an invitation to all to reduce their carbon footprint by a fifth and live more sustainably by 2012.

From noon to 5pm today Leicester Square was turned into an eco-fete, with local produce on sale and a swap shop for clothes.

"When visitors flock to the capital for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games we want them to find a greener city. I urge everyone to get behind Team Green Britain and do your bit"

Mayor Boris Johnson said: “When visitors flock to the capital for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games we want them to find a greener city. I urge everyone to get behind Team Green Britain and do your bit.”

About 450,000 people have already signed up to at least one of five green teams: Team Energy, whose aim is to cut energy use; Team Big Lunch, which involves eco-brainstorming with neighbours round the dinner table; Team Swap, an initiative to throw away as little as possible; Team A to B, whose concern is greener journeys; and Eco Teams, groups of neighbours, friends or ¬colleagues achieving green goals together.

More than 50 London schools took part in Green Britain Day. In Lewisham, Victoria Pendleton visited Stillness Infant School to see their wildlife area and solar panels. She said: “As an athlete you might not expect me to say this, but I believe that London 2012 is so much more than a sporting event.”

The Mayor will visit Hampton Court Palace Flower show this afternoon, touring plots which show how to grow food in restricted spaces. He is also due to receive an award from the Royal Horticultural Society for the Capital Growth scheme, aimed at creating 2,012 community food growing spaces by the time of the Olympics.