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Funworld February 2012
When the Indianapolis Zoo unveiled its new exhibit, “Cheetah: The Race for Survival,” visitors lined up to catch a glimpse of the endangered species. The 2010 exhibit was more than just a chance to educate visitors about the plight of the cheetah; it also marked the zoo’s inaugural effort to reuse materials during a habitat renovation.
Through the careful efforts of staff, the Indianapolis Zoo managed to divert 113 tons of materials from the landfill during the construction of the exhibit. The single project recycled or reused 65 tons of concrete and brick, 13 tons of asphalt, 21 tons of trees and shrubs, and five tons of metal. “We really wanted to push ourselves as far as the reusing and recycling of materials,” explains Norah Fletchall, vice president of conservation for the zoo. The facility has a reputation for conservation, running environmental initiatives ranging from purchasing green power and implementing a comprehensive recycling program to conserving water and designing educational programs to help visitors minimize their impact on the planet. In 2010 the zoo was rewarded for its efforts with a Green Power Leadership Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It was the first zoo in the nation to receive the EPA award. Despite its comprehensive green programs, the zoo had never attempted to reuse or recycle materials from animal habitats (with the exception of animal waste, which is taken off site and composted). “Typically, the materials end up in the landfill,” Fletchall says. “We made a very strong commitment to environmental sustainability and decided that it needed to extend to renovating and building habitats.” Although the cheetah exhibit was the first zoo environment to contain recycled materials, it’s not the first time the Indianapolis Zoo has come up with creative solutions to ensure its animal habitats are as eco-friendly as possible. In 2009 facilities engineers spearheaded the redesign of the backwashing system in the dolphin habitat. The original equipment sent 4.5 million gallons of water rushing down the drain on an annual basis; the new design filters and reuses the water from the dolphin pools, conserving that 4.5 million gallons. Fletchall admits environmental initiatives such as increasing recycling rates, designing water conservation systems, and purchasing green power do cost more, which can be challenging for a nonprofit organization that receives no government funding. Partnerships with businesses and foundations help offset some of the costs of the environmental programming, but Fletchall notes, “We take the extra costs into account in our operating budget. It’s important to us to walk the talk of conservation and sustainability, which means investing in these programs.” When it comes to future sustainability efforts, the Indianapolis Zoo has its sights set on several projects, including replacing all of the lights in the zoo with energy-saving LED bulbs, installing charging stations for electric vehicles in the parking lot, and exploring the options for wind and solar power. “We believe in starting small and planning big,” says Fletchall. “All of the little things we do really add up to a big impact and we want to build on that.” Jodi Helmer is a regular contributor to Funworld.
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The new 20,000-square-foot habitat contains materials from the original exhibit. The five cheetahs living in the habitat don’t seem to mind that their home is built from hand-me-downs; while the secondhand materials might not be obvious to the cats, the facility’s staff noticed a huge reduction in waste compared with past habitat renovations.