In keeping with its Mission Statement, the Milwaukee County Zoo is “walking the walk” when it comes to sustainability. The Zoo aims to inspire public understanding, support, and participation in global conservation of animal species and their environment by creating a unifying bond between our visitors and the living earth and provide an environment for personal renewal and enjoyment for our guests. This includes putting sustainability front and center in our daily operations.
Protecting animal biodiversity is dependent on preserving a healthy environment in which animals can thrive. In order to contribute to worldwide animal management and conservation efforts, the Zoo is constantly adjusting its practices and updating its facilities in order to be more efficient and environmentally-friendly. Read on to discover some of the steps we have taken so far toward creating a healthier planet.
The Zoo has reduced its energy consumption each year since 2016. Steps we’ve taken toward making that goal a reality include energy-efficient lighting, in which our current lights use 80% less electricity and last six times longer than the previous lights, and installing eight solar panels that generate over 16 MWh annually.
To see real-time data for the Zoo’s energy tracker, check out the Solar Energy Output display in Nourish 414.
Our motto is “what’s old is new!” The Zoo reuses countless items throughout its grounds each year. Hammocks for the bears, orangutans, and others are weaved from old fire hoses from the Wauwatosa Fire Department. Employee clothing that has reached the end of its life is reused as towels and rags for the maintenance, custodial, and grounds departments.
Each autumn since 2012, the Zoo collects, shreds, and turns fallen leaves into mulch for the spring. The Zoo also reuses downed wood from our forest trees, known as the Urban Wood program. Urban Wood has been used on projects throughout the Zoo, including the train trestle and cars, nature play area, stroller booth, Aviary, and the Jaguar habitat.
The Zoo employs numerous recycling efforts throughout the grounds. Through EcoCell, we collect and recycle phones and tablets that contribute to the destruction of gorilla habitats. In the summer, Electronics Recycling Day is an annual staff event that has recycled nearly a ton of electronics since it started.
We also collect holiday lights from the public as part of our Wild Lights special event — members of the public are welcome to donate them during Wild Lights nights in the labeled recycling bin(s) in the Zoo’s U.S. Bank Gathering Place.
Alongside electronics, the Zoo has enabled its visitors to participate through measures such as Zoo Map collection bins at the exit and Pepsi recycling bins for bottles and aluminum cans.
We’re all in this together.
Green is the New Gold. The Zoo makes an effort to include native plants around its park-like grounds to reduce stormwater runoff and create ample beautiful green spaces for both animals and visitors. Rain gardens throughout the grounds catch runoff and work in conjunction with permeable pavers to replenish groundwater supplies rather than wasting it into storm drains. These efforts help prevent flooding, soil erosion and pollution.
Off the ground, atop our Karen Peck Katz Conservation Education Center lies a green roof. Plants on a green roof absorb rainwater, provide habitat for wildlife and naturally cool and insulate the building below them. On top of all of this, green roofs can increase the life of a conventional roof by 20 years, reducing waste on that front as well.
Currently, we use leaf mulch from leaves collected on grounds to amend Zoo planted beds.
Stay tuned for future composting programs!
The Zoo not only sources food locally, but we grow our own too. We utilize our green spaces to grow herbs and spices for many in-house dining locations. But our biggest achievements are our Animal Enrichment Gardens.
These Animal Enrichment Gardens, located by the apes, hippos, and small mammals, grow fresh produce for our animals on site. Enrichment is about enhancing as many aspects of our animals’ lives as possible, including giving them opportunities to interact with nutritious and stimulating foods that keep their minds active and healthy. We grow many different types of plants for our animals to shred and interact with, rub in the scented plants, and experience the different textures, smells and tastes of various fruits, vegetables, herbs, grasses and flowers.
The Zoo’s Concessions and Merchandising partner, SSA Group, is focusing on the reduction of plastic waste and responsible purchasing by:
With these initiatives, the Zoo will save the following from landfills and habitats each year:
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