Photograph by Victoria Donahoe
The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, named the greenest zoo in America since 2010, offers visitors a glimpse into the sustainability measures it takes in its day-to-day operations.
Running April through October, the Go-Green Sustainability Tour takes guests on an educational journey to learn about the zoo’s green initiatives and how it aims to reduce its impact on the environment.
The zoo itself hosts an abundance of biodiversity, featuring 400 species of animals and 3,000 species of plants. Besides its immersive mixture of environments, however, the zoo also prioritizes green building, solid waste management, renewable energy, water conservation, storm water management, energy efficiency, and community outreach.
While on the Go Green Sustainability Tour, a sustainability expert guides guests through the nitty gritty of zero waste and what it means for the way the zoo operates. Currently, the Cincinnati Zoo operates under a Zero Waste Events goal made possible by its partnerships with local organizations. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Corrections (ODRC), for example, runs a trash-sorting facility where compostable bags of trash from zoo events are sent to be sorted. Last Mile Food Rescue also works with the zoo to save food from being wasted and get it to those who need it most. According to the zoo, “at least 90% of an event’s waste must be diverted from the landfill for its to be a Zero Waste Event.”
Many events hosted by the Cincinnati Zoo are seen as opportunities to improve the its sustainability measures and aim to be Zero Waste, such as serving food on bamboo plates with compostable cutlery and napkins. Further, all water bottles sold within the zoo are made from aluminum, which is easier to recycle than plastic.
Along many of the zoo’s winding walking paths, visitors encounter large areas of bamboo. These groves aren’t just for decoration —much of the food for zoo animals is grown on-site. The fresh-cut bamboo is given to the red pandas, and other herbivores like the elephants and giraffes reduce the amount of outside sourcing that the zoo does to feed its animals.
Recycled rainwater is put through the zoo’s rainwater filtration system and is then used in the Little Blue Penguin habitat and for the beloved hippos. Green roofs provide more space for native plants and pollinators. Tour-goers get a peek into the butterfly garden, where milkweed is planted to help Monarch butterflies, giving them a place to lay their eggs and for the Monarch larvae to feed during their journey to Mexico during the colder months. Every element at the Cincinnati Zoo has been carefully evaluated or created with sustainability in mind, leading the way for a greener future.
The Go-Green Sustainability tour is available on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Tickets are $10.
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