Nashville Zoo Will Not Sell Any Beverages In Plastic Bottles On Earth Day
Nashville, TN - Guests visiting Nashville Zoo on Earth Day (April 22) will not be able to purchase beverages in plastic bottles. The one-day suspension is meant to raise awareness of the harmful effects plastic bottles have on the environment as well as highlight “green” drinking options.
Service Systems Associates (SSA), the Zoo’s food and retail concessions vendor, will sell reusable bottles with free refills on Earth Day in lieu of bottled beverages. SSA also offers biodegradable cups every day as part of their ecological mission. Plastic bottle sales will resume on April 23, and Nashville Zoo urges guests to recycle their bottles in one of the many receptacles throughout the Zoo.
“It is our policy to support the conservation efforts of Nashville Zoo as well as promote ‘green’ practices to our guests, vendors and employees,” said Paul Karros, SSA General Manger for Nashville Zoo. “Our program includes 100 percent compostable and biodegradable plates, cups and utensils at all concession stands and the Zoofari Café.”
According to the Container Recycling Institute, 80 percent of bottled water containers end up in landfills, amounting to roughly 22 million bottles a year. The Pacific Institute estimates that producing the bottles for American consumption in 2006 alone required the equivalent of more than 17 million barrels of oil. The Pacific Institute also cites that three liters of water are needed to produce just one liter of bottled water.
Nashville Zoo is accredited by the prestigious Association of Zoos and Aquariums, assuring the highest standards of animal care and husbandry. The Zoo is a non-profit organization located at 3777 Nolensville Road and is open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. The mission of Nashville Zoo is to inspire a culture of understanding and discovery of our natural world through conservation, innovation and leadership. For more information about Nashville Zoo, call 615-833-1534 or visit www.nashvillezoo.org.
http://www.zandavisitor.com/newsarticle-1292-Nashville_Zoo_Will_Not_Sell_Any_Beverages_In_Plastic_Bottles_On_Earth_Day