Energy Management/Energy Conservation Initiatives

• Installation of a wind turbine at the main parking lot entrance to generate power for the parking lot booths (seen above)
   
• Energy savings and feasibility study for the Zoo campus using combined heat and power co-generation equipment
   
• Electric Peak Shaving Initiative
  · Energy Management and Conservation Group (EMCG) to study ways to manage and control our energy usage.
  · Electric peak shaving program for Arctic chiller operations. Zoo wide Power Monitoring/Load Shed program.
  · Zoo now has the capability to shed electric load automatically during periods of high use.
   
• Building Automation System to monitor and control HVAC equipment in nearly fifty percent of our buildings.
   
• Majority of exterior site lighting, including Lights Before Christmas is connected to a software based management system allowing the Zoo to control lighting operation times.
   
• Master Plan 2020 incorporates a campus Ecology Strategy to make the Zoo a more sustainable and energy efficient facility
   
• Pursuing an option in Masterplan 2020 to replace the aging boilers within the Aquarium and Greenhouse with combined heat and power co-generation equipment.
   

Zoo keepers reuse these items for animal enrichment: Shredded office paper for bedding Cardboard boxes Fire hose Plastic buckets, yogurt cups 55 gallon barrels Cardboard tubes/Carpet tubes Perfumes and colognes Sheets and towels for orangutan bedding Phone books Feed bags Oatmeal canisters

Paper Reduction

• Employees encouraged to print and copy 2-sided
• Many employees have changed margins on Microsoft Word to 1 inch
• Zoo wide memos now emailed
• Intranet developed for information exchange
• Catalog reduction: volunteers calling to remove duplicates from mailing lists
• Catalog/magazine recycling
• Office paper is shredded to be used as bedding for primates
• Zoo maps are recycled

Vehicle Idling
Zoo has reduced vehicle idling. Employees turn cars and trucks off when leaving a vehicle. Stickers were placed on steering wheels to remind staff to turn vehicles off.

Styrofoam reduction

• Zoo plate special in Employee Kitchen.
• Changed from Styrofoam to more environmentally friendly cups and plates in the concessions areas
• Employees given coffee mugs to use
• As of Summer 2006, lemonade cups will be made from corn product that degrades in the landfill
• Refill cups have coupons to encourage people to reuse them rather than buy drinks in disposable cups

Light bulbs

• Have changed many of our lights to compact fluorescent bulbs that use less energy than regular incandescent.
• Christmas lights are being replaced with LED lights that use 90% less energy

Green cleaners

• Have changed many of our cleaners and chemicals to environmentally friendly products that carry the green seal.
• Investigating new lines of green chemicals with the Green Seal

New employee training on conservation practices

• Written in part-time employee handbook

Environmental

• Shade-grown coffee in bakery
• Shopping bags will soon be sold in gift shop to reduce plastic bag consumption
• Zoo Teens:multiple outreach conservation projects in the region
• Purchasing sustainable seafood for catered events
• Use of recycled materials in construction projects, such as Nature's Neighborhood
• Careful selection of eco-friendly materials for construction and maintenance

KC and Crew

• Party in a Box featuring reusable dishes, silverware, etc.
• Characters out in the community promoting recycling, etc.
• Working with KLCB to promote the curbside recycling program
  

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