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Today, on Earth Day, Cincinnati City Council’s Committee on Climate, Environment, and Infrastructure met at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden to conduct its regular meeting and to recognize the Greenest Zoo in America as a sustainability champion.

“We are here today to talk about our planet and the ongoing fight that we as a city and as individuals will put on to combat the climate crisis,” said Councilmember Meeka Owens during the meeting.  “Today we highlight the Cincinnati Zoo who continues to set the standard in our region of what sustainability looks like.”

The Zoo has a goal to be Net Zero by 2025 but isn’t planning to stop at that. Cincinnati Zoo’s vice president of facilities and sustainability, Mark Fisher, shared a vision for the future that goes beyond that and includes the Zoo’s neighbors and partners in other areas of the world.

“We’ve already saved more than 2 BILLION gallons of water, and that was before we installed the new 1-million-gallon capacity stormwater retention tanks under the new Elephant Trek,” said Fisher. “We’re also killing it in the renewable energy department and just put the final panels on a new 2.8 megawatt solar array over our Euclid St parking lot. Achieving Net Zero Waste will be the biggest challenge, but we’re getting there.”

The Zoo kept 5,000 pounds of waste out of the landfill last year by making some of its events Zero Waste.  This year, with help from retail and food partner SSA, more of the Zoo’s evening events will be Zero Waste.

“One of the reasons we partnered with SSA is their commitment to green practices,” said Fisher.  “Proof of that is the recognition they just received from the Green Restaurant Association.  Base Camp Café got the Greenest Zoo Restaurant Award, and the Outpost Café won the Water Conservation Award.”

Learn more about Cincinnati Zoo’s sustainability efforts here, or book a Go-Green Sustainability Tour!

Resolution

RECOGNIZING the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden EXPRESSING the appreciation of the Mayor and the Council of the City of Cincinnati for their committed work to strong community partnership and for being a strong representative for the City of Cincinnati’s climate activation strategies.

WHEREAS, the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden was founded in 1873 and opened its doors in 1875, making the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden the second oldest Zoo in the United States.; and

WHEREAS, the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden is a corner stone of our city and region welcoming over 1.7 million visitors a year, providing $169 million annually of economic impact, educational programing for over 450,000 people participating each year, an award-winning partner in community redevelopment, and being named the Green Zoo in American since 2010; and

WHEREAS, the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden’s rich history of 14 years in solar has initiated and contributed to the evolution of a comprehensive sustainability program including water reclamation and reuse, organic waste recycling, local procurement, farmed food, and more; and

WHEREAS, regarding solar the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden will have a 4.55 Megawatt on-site solar capacity by the end of 2024, these solar arrays have resulted in a surplus of electricity production and reduction in their utility costs; and

WHEREAS, moreover the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden formalized the Community Solar Resiliency Program (CSRP) which aims to extend energy and climate resilience to demonstrate climate equity in Cincinnati neighborhoods.; and

WHEREAS, to this point the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden has installed 4 different solar arrays totaling 68 kilowatts around the Cincinnati community; and

WHEREAS, for water reclamation the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden is aiming to collect and reuse every drop of water that falls on their campus, which keeps sewage out of the Ohio River and out of their surrounding neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS, the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden maintains that all new construction projects are built to LEED Platinum standards, and their campus has the first Living Building Challenge–certified project in the State of Ohio and in their industry; and

WHEREAS, commitments have been made by the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden where they source supplies and services locally to invest back into the Cincinnati community and to better manage Earth limited resources; and

WHEREAS, sourcing locally includes developing an innovative and resilient food procurement plan, and goals to spend more dollars with minority-owned vendors; and

WHEREAS, the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden has set the standard for what sustainability looks like in Cincinnati, the State of Ohio, and across their industry as they continue to be recognized regionally and nationally for the efforts to combat the climate crisis; and

WHEREAS, the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden is committed on multiple fronts to make Cincinnati better through climate resiliency, economic development, and more;; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Cincinnati, State of Ohio:

Section 1. That the Mayor and this Council hereby recognize the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden for their committed work to strong community partnership, climate activation strategies, and for being a strong representative for the City of Cincinnati.

Section 2. That this resolution be spread upon the minutes of Council and that a copy be provided to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden through the office of Councilmember Meeka Owens.