Page 47 - Brookfield Zoo Chicago Annual_Report_2024
P. 47

SUSTAINABILITY SNAPSHOT


                                                                          Upcyling Old Uniforms                 Reducing Plastic Use
                                                                          In several sessions throughout the    Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s food and retail   conserve
                                                                          summer of 2024, Brookfield Zoo Chicago    partner SSA Group led the Zoo’s transi-
                                                                          volunteers and employees made dog     tion from plastic to aluminum cups,
                                                                          toys for shelter dogs out of the Zoo’s    introducing a durable, lightweight,
                                                                          old uniforms. Chicago Bears defensive    and fully recyclable option for guests.
                                                                          end Jake Martin joined us to help out    This change resulted in more than
                                                                          and deliver the toys to PAWS Chicago’s   33,000 drinks being served in aluminum
                                                                          Adoption Center to offer a unique form    cups, significantly reducing single-use
                                                                          of enrichment for the dogs currently    plastic waste. SSA Group is continuing
                                                                          in their care. The partnership aimed    to  replace additional single-use items,
                                                                          to divert waste from landfills, which emit   including paper snow cone cups, plastic
                                                                          harmful greenhouse gases.             bottles, and more.
                                                                          A New Partnership with Coca-Cola      Water Conservation
                                                                                                                in The Swamp
                                                                          In September 2024, Brookfield Zoo
                                                                          Chicago forged a new partnership
                                                                                                                The Swamp underwent upgrades that
                                                                          with Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling. The
                                                                                                                help support water conservation.
                                                                          partnership enables the Zoo to reduce
                                                                                                                Previously, the free flight aviary habitat
                                                                          its environmental impact by eliminating
                                                                                                                was cleaned using a water-intensive
                                                                          the use of 150,000 plastic bottles
                                                                                                                “dump and fill” method. In the upgrade
                                                                          annually and moving toward more
                                                                                                                process, the habitat was outfitted with
                                                                          sustainable packaging.
                                                                                                                natural bog filtration systems designed
                                                                                                                by Aquascapes, mimicking wetland envi-
                                                                          Plush Recycling
                                                                                                                ronments and reducing water usage while
                                                                          SSA Group worked with Wild Republic,    enhancing water clarity and cleanliness.
                                                                          a leader in eco-friendly plush toys, to start
                                                                                                                Pursuing an Electric Fleet
                                                                          a plush recycling program at Brookfield
                                                                          Zoo Chicago and other zoos around the
                                                                                                                In 2024, the Zoo advanced its commit-
                                                                          country in the fall of 2024. The Zero Waste
                                                                                                                ment to sustainable operations by
                                                                          Box Program allows customers to bring
                                                                                                                expanding its fleet of electric vehicles.
                                                                          their well-loved but no longer needed
                                                                                                                Two electric tram cabs were purchased
                                                                          plush toys to participating SSA Group
                                                                                                                to replace older gas-powered models,
                                                                          retail locations. These toys will then
                                                                                                                and additional electric vehicles. Today,
                                                                          be collected and sent to TerraCycle,
                                                                                                                more than 90% of the Zoo’s golf cart fleet
                                                                          which takes in hard-to-recycle materials,
                                                                                                                is electric, with many carts purchased
                                                                          ensuring that they are repurposed
                                                                                                                as refurbished or reconditioned models
                                                                          and kept out of landfills.
                                                                                                                as part of an ongoing upcycling effort.
                                                                                                                                 ANNUAL REPORT 2024    37
   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52