Seneca Park Zoo Focuses on Sustainability

At the Seneca Park Zoo, the focus is on the animals, making sure they have sustainable environments.

Tina Crandall-Gommel, the Zoo's Conservation Education Coordinator says, "recycling is the most important thing you can do.  It effects most of our local animals and then our recycling efforts here also affect ocean animals."

The staff at the zoo wants to make sure their environment and ours are healthy ones. That's why a lot of different green efforts are underway. 
 
"We collect all sorts of recycling that can't make it into your blue bin at home.  Things like batteries fluorescent light bulbs cfl's, items for terra cycle like capri suns, dorito bags, other types of chips and cookies," says Crandall-Grommel. 

Zoo visitors are invited to bring items like those to the "green" gazebo for recycling.  They also hold recycle rallies several times a year to collect household items and e-waste. 
The plates and utensils used for special zoo events are made from palm leaves and cornstarch.  Both can be easily composted.

"I hear utensils are used for three minutes at the most and then thrown away so really a lot of plastic utensils in landfills so we try to do our best using compostable pieces."
says Rachel August, the Executive Director of the Zoo. 

She adds,  "we do feel like we are an educational institution so we have to practice what we preach.  And it's important to say these are our initiatives and always have goals every year."

The next recycle rally at the zoo is July 27th.