Composting

Our keepers compost gallons of kitchen scraps every week left over from preparing animal diets.  We use two large, pest-proof drums to break down this organic waste into fabulous soil amendment.

We also divert 55,000 gallons of green waste from the landfill annually. This includes animal manure and bedding, leaves, sheep wool and grass clippings.  We “hot compost” all of this on site to turn it into beautiful and nutritious finished compost! This compost is available to local gardeners for a small donation– call or email our Zoo Attendants for more information or to schedule a pick up—(707) 441-4263.

Conserving Energy

In all our new offices and buildings, we have our lights on timers and motion sensors so they turn off when the room is not in use.  We also utilize programmable thermostats which helps keep us warm when we need it without wasting energy when we don’t. 

A Green Kitchen

Did you know our cafe uses environmentally friendly water cups, coffee cups and to-go containers? We also donate our used kitchen oil to be turned into bio-diesel and use eco-friendly cleaners.

Sustainable Gifts

The Zoo Gift Shop carries a wide variety of gifts you can feel good about purchasing. Not only do the proceeds go to a good cause, many of the items you'll find are fair trade and support the conservation of endangered species world wide. For example, they carry a line of items from the Snow Leopard Trust and products like Elephant Pepper & Ellie Poo paper.

Completing the Loop

Wherever we can we reuse and recycle.  Instead of throwing away cardboard boxes and egg cartons, we first reuse them for our animals’ enrichment treats.  We encourage visitors to return their Zoo maps so another visitor can reuse the same map. 

Our facility uses products with high recycled content such as office paper, paper towels and toilet paper, completing the loop by creating demand for recycled products.

It is Easy Being Green
Everyday innovative tips and tricks to help conserve resources and energy

1. Use a wind-up alarm clock, rather than a plug in one—good for power outages, too!
2. Jog in the park, rather than on a treadmill—save energy and enjoy the view!
3. Pack a lighter suitcase for your next flight and conserve fuel.
4. Cuddle to stay warm!  Or, turn the thermostat down by 2 degrees to save energy.
5. Purchase gently worn clothes and household items rather than new ones.
6. Save water: install low flow toilets and shower heads, fix drips and turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
7. Green your iPod!  You’ve taken the first step by digitizing your music, now go a step further.  Unplug it once charged and consider purchasing a solar charging unit—good when you’re on the go!
8. Toilet train your cat—if you’re up for it.  Remember, if it’s yellow...let it mellow!
9. Use a toaster oven instead of a full-sized oven whenever you can.
10. Consider a laptop instead of a desktop computer—it uses 75% less energy.
11. Wash clothes in warm, or even better, cold water.
12. Don’t idle your car for more than 30 seconds—it uses more gas than restarting it.
13. Remove your ski rack and cargo carrier from your car when not needed—and keep your trunk empty of junk for a more fuel-efficient ride.
14. Wash your car at the carwash, not in your driveway.
15. Reduce, reuse, recycle and spread the word that being green is easy!