The Philadelphia Zoo is committed to reducing global warming and mitigating the effects of climate change on wildlife around the world. We’re working hard to do our part. Here are some of the first steps that we’ve taken:
Sustainable Programs Manager
A new position has been created to address the daily demands of greening the Zoo and reducing our carbon and eco-footprints. The Sustainability Programs Manager focuses on energy efficiency and carbon neutrality, as well as on implementing sustainable policies and practices that are integrated Zoo-wide and on sharing messages with our visitors on how they can follow in the Zoo’s eco-friendly footsteps.
Sustainability Audit
We’ve also hired a team of experts to conduct a sustainability audit, focusing on Zoo-wide operations. Nelson, a Philadelphia-based consulting firm, has taken a comprehensive look at our daily practices and assessed areas such as energy use, water and waste management, horticultural care and purchasing policies. Taking into account that our animals’ welfare is our top priority, Nelson has provided a detailed Sustainability Action Plan tailored to our specialized needs that will guide us in our greening efforts.
Many of those special needs include strict temperature controls that limit our ability to turn the thermostat down in the winter and up in the summer; great action steps for humans but not so great for cold-sensitive primates, sloths and bats and heat-sensitive echidnas and aardvarks. When you’re a 42-acre facility with 200 employees and nearly 1300 animals, there are many special cases that need to be considered before taking action to reduce your carbon footprint. As a starting point, we’ve worked with Nelson and PECO Energy to calculate the carbon dioxide emissions of our buildings. With the carbon footprint of our buildings and the results of our sustainability audit in hand, we can begin to target areas for improvement that will have the greatest impact on reducing our footprints on the planet.
Green Practices
Here at the Philadelphia Zoo, we work hard to make conservation part of our daily operation. Here are some of the green practices already in place at the Philadelphia Zoo:
Clean Cars
The Philadelphia Zoo has replaced many of its on-site gas powered vehicles with clean, quiet electric carts.
All diesel Zoo vehicles are now fueled by biodiesel and, when available, Fry-o-Diesel. Fry-o-Diesel is a renewable resource made from trap grease – a material that would otherwise go into the waste stream.
Recycle and Reuse
We recycle and reuse wherever possible:
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We recycle aluminum, glass, plastic and office paper.
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Newspapers, cardboard tubes, empty cereal boxes, phone books and old blankets are just a few of the household items collected and reused as enrichment for the Zoo's animal collection.
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Used tires that are not steel-belted are recycled and used in animal exhibits.
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We dispose used batteries and other hazardous waste appropriately.
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We recycle used printer and copier toner and ink cartridges.
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We recycle old computers by sending them to an off-site facility, where any usable parts are harvested before the machines are discarded.
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We purchase 30 percent post-consumer fiber content copier paper.
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Used uniforms in good condition are reused. Unwearable uniforms are used for cleaning rags instead of being discarded.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
A passive Integrated Pest Management system is used throughout the garden to monitor bugs and diseases on our plants and react to any damage in a controlled, environmentally safe manner.
Graphics Department
Our graphics department makes sure that we produce our publications, signs and other materials in environmentally friendly ways.
The Zoo uses soy-based inks and paper that contains fibers that are 100 percent recycled, including at least 30 percent post-consumer waste. The Zoo uses FSC-certified papers in its publications.
In the Zoo Garden
All around our grounds, you'll see conservation efforts.
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We recycle used Zoo maps in a box at the exit each day.
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Recycling of aluminum, glass and plastic is available Zoo-wide for guests.
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Collection bins located at the North Gate entrance and in the Rare Animal Conservation Center encourage guests to “Return the Call of the Wild” by recycling their old cell phones.
Construction
When we're building or renovating, the Zoo works to be green.
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The Zoo uses resource-conserving materials and equipment wherever possible in its construction.
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Low-flow toilets have been installed as replacements or in new construction.
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Occupancy sensing auto-off light switches are installed as possible.
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Digital control systems are used in new construction and retrofitted as possible.
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Redirecting rainfall into natural infiltration beds decreases storm water run-off.
Geothermal Heating/Cooling Systems
The Zoo Shop and McNeil Avian Center utilize geothermal wells that significantly reduce electricity consumption. A geothermal heat pump creates energy by moving heat to and from the earth, taking advantage of the almost constant temperature underground, which is usually warmer than the air in the winter and cooler than the air in the summer. The Zoo's current geothermal system pumps water from 500 feet below the ground's surface.