If the Queen City were to have a set of crown jewels, the Cinicinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden would be the emerald. Cincinnati's zoo has a long tradition of conservation biology, but recently it has made extraordinary efforts to be a national leader in sustainability. In 2010, a series of green building initiatives led the former Governor of Ohio, Ted Strickland, to proclaim the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, "The Greenest Zoo in America." The title is undisputed.
The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden has been aggressively pursuing a sustainable agenda for its facilities, focusing on renewable energy, energy efficiency, storm water management, water conservation, waste management, composting, and sustainable design and construction. The most notable achievement came in April of 2011, when the Melink Solar Canopy went on line.
The canopy of 14 solar arrays consists of 6,400 solar panels and provides 1.56 megawatts of power. According to solar blog Calfinder, this level of renewable energy production by a zoo is unrivaled, with Oakland's zoo coming in a distant second using their 28.4-kilowatt solar system. Built above the Vine Street parking lot to shade the parked cars of happy zoogoers, the Melink Solar Canopy is being hailed as the largest publicly accessible solar project in the country. The canopy is expected to produce 20 percent of the zoo's annual energy needs, which can be followed with the zoo's real-time solar output web application.
Another major sustainable initiative has more to do with brown than green. The zoo has partnered with Marvin's Organic Gardens and Hamilton County Recycling and Solid Waste District, in a daily effort to compost approximately 2700 pounds of pure herbivore #2. That's right, now the organic droppings of elephants, giraffes, rhinos, takins, gazelles, red river hogs, and horses are being composted. This not only saves the zoo thousands in waste management, but it also significantly reduces landfill production of the powerful greenhouse gas methane.
The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden also proudly claims a wind turbine, green roofs, permeable concrete, storm water fed moats, solar trash compactors, extensive recycling, and more LEED certified buildings than any other zoo. Cincinnati couldn't ask for a greater champion of comprehensive sustainability. It truly is a rallying point for the green revolution in the city.
If you are a local resident, please consider becoming a member of the zoo. If you're passing through or on vacation, you just might want to stop and see this gem. You can find more information at Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden.
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden Awards
- The American Institute Of Architects: Cincinnati Sustainabilty Award (2007)
- LEED Silver Certification For Harold C. Schott Education Center (2006)
- LEED Platinum Certification For Historic Vine Street Village (2009)
- LEED Gold Certification For The Pavilion (2009)
- LEED Gold Certification For Zoo Gift Shop (2010)
- Business Courier & U.S. Green Building Council Awards (2010)
- People Award – Harold C. Schott Education Center
- Planet Award – The Historic Vine Street Village
- Hamilton County Solid And Water Conservation District
- 2008 Conservation Partner Of The Year
- City Beat’s Best Of Cincinnati
- Best “Friend To The Environment” 2010 (#1)
- Best Green-Orientated Business 2010 (#4)
- Star Of Energy Efficiency Awards (2010)
- Super Nova Award
- City Beat's Best Of Cincinnati (2011)
- Best Friend To The Environment (#1)
- Best Green Oriented Business (#2)
- Greater Cincinnati Earth Coalition Environmental Award (2011)
- Business Category (#1)
- Citizen Category (Rhiannon Hoeweler) (#1)
Be sure to click on the slide show to the left to see the green features of the Cincinnati Zoo.
Like this article? If so, below you can find links to more articles by Chris Kaeff, Cincinnati's Green Culture Examiner. You can also subscribe at the top of this page, and you will be notified by email when a new Cincinnati Green Culture article is posted. Thanks for reading!
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