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Tiffany Barnhart - Director of Communications
tbarnhar@denverzoo.org
Sean Andersen-Vie - Public Relations Specialist
sandersenvie@denverzoo.org
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DENVER ZOO ENCOURAGES PUBLIC TO HAVE A GREEN NEW YEAR - Make Your New Year’s Resolutions Environmentally Friendly!
December 30, 2008
DENVER ZOO ENCOURAGES PUBLIC TO HAVE A GREEN NEW YEAR - Make Your New Year’s Resolutions Environmentally Friendly!
 As 2008 comes to an end, Denver Zoo is encouraging everyone to make green New Year resolutions for 2009.
“As an organization dedicated to wildlife conservation, Denver Zoo is trying to be as environmentally conscious as possible, in every facet of our organization. We’re encouraging others to do the same. It’s amazing how small changes can result in tremendous positive impact, especially when many people practice them over time,” says Denver Zoo President/CEO Craig Piper.
TOP GREEN RESOLUTIONS FOR 2009
Work to reduce your carbon footprint: Use compact florescent light bulbs, ride your bike or take public transportation whenever possible, turn your heat down two degrees, make your home as energy efficient as possible, buy energy efficient appliances, turn off lights and electronics when they’re not in use.
Conserve water: Install a low-flow shower head, turn off water when brushing your teeth or while scrubbing dishes, xeriscape with native plants that require less water, use a high efficiency washing machine.
Avoid harsh chemicals: Buy local, organic food, use environmentally-friendly, biodegradable cleaners, do not use pesticides or herbicides, use natural personal care products, wear clothing made from organic or sustainable products.
Support wildlife conservation: Do not purchase products containing palm oil, follow “Leave No Trace” ethics when enjoying outdoor activities, support habitat conservation, participate in clean-up activities, purchase sustainably-harvested wood products, look for companies that support the environment, donate old cell phones at Denver Zoo to support species conservation programs, drink shade grown, organic coffee, visit Denver Zoo!
Reduce: Do not purchase items that use excessive packaging, take re-usable shopping bags to stores, be a conscious consumer.
Re-use: Craigslist, Habitat for Humanity home stores, thrift stores, and other outlets provide the opportunity to make use of products that someone else no longer needs. Purchase recycled products.
Recycle: Donate items that you no longer need, recycle electronics that no longer work, take advantage of community recycling days in your community to get rid of items like paint and batteries, purchase clothing from companies like Patagonia that will recycle those items when they’re worn out, do not put plastic bags, glass, metal, plastics, paper, or anything else that can be recycled in a landfill.
DENVER ZOO’S COMMITMENT TO CONSERVATION
Denver Zoo participates in a variety of voluntary programs that support environmental stewardship including environmental education programs, free and discounted admissions to local schools, EWaste recycling opportunities for members, employees and volunteers, cell phone recycling for visitors and staff, free days and field conservation programs both locally and across the globe. In 2009 Denver Zoo will hire a Green Coordinator to ensure the zoo is meeting the highest standards of environmental stewardship. The zoo also will unveil a procurement database which will be used to evaluate products and services. Product and service providers that meet specific criteria will be supported by the zoo to promote a better, more sustainable future.
In the fall of 2008, Denver Zoo was awarded the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Environmental Leadership Program’s Gold Award for the zoo’s outstanding commitment to environmentally-friendly business practices. The Environmental Leadership Program is a statewide environmental recognition and reward program administered by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment department’s Sustainability Program. The Environmental Leadership Program offers benefits and incentives to members that voluntarily go beyond compliance with state and federal regulations and are committed to continual environmental improvement.
Denver Zoo’s Environmental Commitments:
LEED Projects: Denver Zoo has registered Asian Tropics, a 10-acre redevelopment dedicated to elephant conservation, with the United States Green Building Council. The entire Asian Tropics site, which includes more than 15 buildings, has been registered. It is expected that the project will be certified at the gold level.
Conversion of Waste to Energy: As part of the design for the upcoming Asian Tropics exhibit, the Denver Zoo has made a commitment to finding ways to use its waste stream to generate energy for heat and power on site. Extensive physical testing of the system, utilizing samples of our waste and sophisticated computer simulation modeling, has demonstrated that this is a feasible alternative energy source and will reduce the amount of waste going to landfill by as much as 1.5 million pounds per year. Denver Zoo’s biomass gasification system will be the first of its kind anywhere in the world to convert a complex and diverse waste stream into a uniform, stable fuel on a consistent basis. Once complete, this system will serve as a model for such systems at other campus-like settings, from business and amusement parks to resorts, schools and small communities.
Water conservation/recycled water use: Denver Zoo has implemented several water conservation projects over the last 10 years including renovations to the water filtration systems at Sea Lion and Polar Bear Exhibits, construction of water quality wetland and recirculation system at the Flamingo Pond and installation of circulation and filtration system at the Northern Shores Duck Ponds. These projects, as well as operational reductions have reduced overall annual water usage from approximately 320 million gallons in 1999 to approximately 150 million gallons in 2007. Denver Zoo also is in the process of installing infrastructure to support the use of recycled water throughout our 80-acre campus. In 2004 the first segment of recycled water infrastructure was installed. This system supports landscape irrigation as well as cleaning of animal exhibits and is estimated upon full build out to replace as much as 75 percent of our current potable water demand with recycled water. Denver Zoo has also partnered with Denver Water to help communicate the need to use water wisely to our visitors.
Waste reduction efforts: Denver Zoo is actively working on monitoring the amount and types of waste generated through everyday operations of the facility. We are using this information to devise ways to reduce our waste stream as well as promote appropriate recycling efforts for both zoo staff and visitors. In June 2008, Denver Zoo hosted its first zero-waste event at the annual Do at the Zoo. Partnering with our concessionaire, KM Concessions, we used only recyclable and compostable utensils and serving ware and guests were educated on the available disposal methods. In addition, Denver Zoo utilizes compostable utensils and service ware at our restaurants and encourages guest recycling on a daily basis.
Eco Pass: Denver Zoo has now provided the Eco Pass as a benefit for all regular full and part-time employees, promoting an ecologically sound option for commuting. In addition to already encouraging employees to walk, ride their bikes, or carpool, the Eco Pass allows employees to ride public transportation for free, both for commuting to and from work as well as taking care of personal errands and travel. To track its usage the zoo also implemented a Transportation Logging database to collect the usage of the Eco Pass to prove and continue to improve its usage.
Environmental Stewardship Messaging: Denver Zoo consistently educates the public about environmentally-friendly acts they can perform at home to help protect planet earth and all of its inhabitants. Denver Zoo utilizes on-site demonstrations, keeper talks and animal shows to focus on the importance of acting responsibly in support of the environment. From shade-grown coffee education at our Wildlife Show, to recycling demonstrations by our elephants, Denver Zoo utilizes many techniques to communicate to our 1.7 million annual visitors about the importance of thinking and acting green to support animals worldwide.
EWaste Disposal: Denver Zoo is encouraging the public to recycle their e-waste, and partnered with Luminous Recycling to collect members’ used electronics for free! More than 8,657 pounds of recyclable electronics were collected from members and guests earlier this month. This program also is open to employees as well as volunteers and serves as a disposal method for unwanted electronic equipment that is both ethically and environmentally sound.
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