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Home > Latest News > 2008 > 5 > 28 >

Bristol Zoo Gardens goes green!

 

Bristol Zoo Gardens awarded 'Green' statusBristol Zoo Gardens has become just the third zoo in the country to achieve the ISO14001 certification - the international standard for environmental management systems.

 

To reach the standard, organisations have to make a critical appraisal of their environmental impact and develop a robust environmental management system to continually improve their 'green' performance.

 

The process of achieving the standard has already delivered real benefits in terms of energy and resource efficiency at Bristol Zoo Gardens, as Dave Harley, estates manager, explains: "Receiving the ISO14001 certification is a fantastic accolade and demonstrates Bristol Zoo Gardens' commitment to being green.

 

"We have taken many steps towards achieving the standard, such as powering our winter ice rink generators using British produced biodiesel; the licensed composting of our own plant and animal waste and introducing a wider range of Fairtrade, organic and sustainably sourced food and beverages in customer cafes."

 

Other steps taken by the Zoo include a significant increase in recycling (including plastic the equivalent of 360,000 bottles in just three months); increasing biodiversity by planting native species; setting up a staff 'green team' to look into how the zoo can improve its green credentials and reduced electricity and water consumption.

 

Mr Harley added: "Maintaining the standard is a process of continual improvement and we are committed to developing the Zoo's environmental credentials in future - in fact our new Butterfly Forest exhibit is heated using biomass in the form of wood pellets."

 

The Zoo received the award with support from Bath-based sustainability charity Envolve. Kerry North, environmental consultant at Envolve, helped develop the procedures, manuals and auditing system for Bristol Zoo Gardens. She said: "We are thrilled that Bristol Zoo Gardens has achieved this international environmental standard. What has been so exciting about this project is to see how quickly the new management system has led to real changes.

 

"Visitors will be able to see new plant species, bird boxes and bug gardens this summer as well as taste products in the café such as fish and chips made with Hake certified by the Marine Stewardship Council."

 

She continues: "Any environmental policy is an ongoing commitment, with management teams constantly reviewing how the organisation can lessen its impact on the environment. We look forward to continuing to work with Bristol Zoo to identify new ways to increase efficiency and improve environmental practice."

 

The Zoo was inspected by SGS United Kingdom Ltd, which provides inspection, verification, testing and certification services.

 

Ray White, Lead Auditor at SGS, comments: "I was very pleased with the efficient and enthusiastic way in which the Zoo staff had developed their environmental management systems. They had really understood the critical issues and had developed and implemented an Environmental Management System which ensured effective controls and improvements".