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What is the Green Team?
The Green Team at Zoo Atlanta is a group of staff members and Volunteers that meets monthly to monitor the Zoo’s environmental efforts and maintain a sustainable workplace.
The Zoo Atlanta Green Team’s elephant manure and bamboo composting program just won first place in the 2008 Keep Georgia Beautiful Awards for Waste Reduction and Recycling. By working with Natural Growth, Inc. for composting elephant manure and Downey Trees for shredding bamboo waste to be burned as fuel by Georgia Power, we’re diverting over 1,800 cubic yards of waste from the landfill every year.
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2007 Accomplishments
- Worked with P2AD to measure and evaluate water use and implemented multiple water conservation strategies, saving an estimated 17% over last year’s water consumption.
- Installed 10 rain barrels throughout the Zoo, harvesting a total of 650 gallons of water from rain runoff. We use this water to irrigate landscaping, only using city water when absolutely necessary.
- Zoo Atlanta recycled:
- 29,017 pounds of paper and cardboard
- 21,137 pounds of scrap metal
- 16,264 pounds of plastic
- 5,380 pounds of electronics
- 1,343 cell phones
- 358 pounds of aluminum
- 284 pounds of batteries
- 180 printer cartridges
- 97 fluorescent bulbs
2008 Green Team Events
- Think Green Day – March 8, 2008
Zoo Atlanta hosted various green exhibitors and manned our own Green Team display oto teach visitors about recycling opportunities and ways to be more green.
- Arms Around Atlanta Earth Day Celebration – April 19 & 20, 2008
Zoo Atlanta also participated in the City of Atlanta’s Earth Day celebration as a sponsor and as an exhibitor.
- Keep Atlanta Beautiful’s 2nd Annual Mayor’s Race to Recycle – November 15
Piedmont Park; visit www.keepatlantabeautiful.org for details.
Green Team Goals for 2008
- Continue water conservation efforts
- Recycle 1,500 cell phones (proceeds benefit the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International)
- Recycle $250 of printer cartridges (proceeds benefit the Orangutan Conservancy)
- Recycle 500 pounds of aluminum cans
- Audit paper usage for ways to conserve paper
- Participate in master planning efforts to design new Zoo buildings as LEED Silver certified.
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For Zoo Employees: |
- Recycle plastic, glass and aluminum cans in public areas around the Zoo
- Recycle cell phones in the Willie B Conservation Center
- Recycle Zoo maps at the front gate and at Panda Veranda
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- Recycle plastic, glass and aluminum cans in staff work areas
- Recycle cell phones in the Willie B. Conservation Center and staff work areas
- Recycle batteries in all work areas
- Recycle paper and cardboard in all work areas
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Zoo Atlanta Green Team Partners and Resources
Zoo Atlanta Environmental Commitment
Every organization should consider the prudent use of natural resources, as well as monitoring its own environmental impact. As a conservation organization, Zoo Atlanta recognizes our special obligation to always merge our operations with our mission. Environmental stewardship is the responsibility of all Zoo Atlanta employees.
Zoo Atlanta incorporates environmental considerations into everyday business management. Measurable actions that are encouraged and supported include:
- Striving to achieve compliance with legal and self-imposed regulatory requirements
- Reducing our environmental impact by focusing on pollution prevention, waste reduction and resource conservation
- Continually improving the local and global environment
- Modeling environmental stewardship behavior
- Communicating information with our community about our environmental programs and performance
Members of a cross-departmental Green Team will serve as environmental leaders to support the Zoo and act as a resource to increase knowledge and facilitate continual improvement in environmental performance at the Zoo and in the community.
Approved by CEO Dennis Kelly, February 2007
Questions or Comments for the Green Team?
Email us: greenteam@zooatlanta.org |
