Detroit Zoo holds annual sustainability celebration

ROYAL OAK, Mich. – April is Earth Month and the Detroit Zoo is celebrating with their annual Greenfest.

Festivities have been Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to three p.m. The annual pageant concentrate on alternative ways to recycle, repurpose, and reuse supplies by way of distributors, academic actions, reside music and meals vans.

“We actually wished to embrace inexperienced practices, sustainable dwelling and actually simply attempt to encourage folks to consider their impacts and what that has on the surroundings,” stated Andy McDowell, supervisor of sustainability for Detroit Zoological Society.

From 9 a.m. to midday Saturday and Sunday the zoo additionally had drive up electronics recycling to keep away from how a lot goes to landfills.

“The landfills themselves, a variety of them are nearing their max capability. Plenty of that has to do with the truth that in Michigan we nonetheless herald a variety of trash from Canada that Canada pays us for, our personal communities are sending a variety of trash there,” McDowell stated.

Greater than 71 million tons of trash have been put in Michigan’s landfills in keeping with a current report from the Division of Atmosphere Nice Lakes and Vitality.

In early March, Canton Township requested folks to observe what they empty into the trash as a result of its landfill is greater than three-quarters full.

“What we’re actually attempting to do is hold all priceless supplies out of the landfill, there’s no motive to ship it there,” stated McDowell.

Final yr the zoo diverted about 32, 000 kilos from landfills. Their objective for this weekend is 40,000 kilos.

“Future success for us is that these packages are tremendous accessible so we don’t must have an occasion right here folks can simply take their electronics proper again to the producer,” McDowell stated.

Extra on Detroit Zoo’s inexperienced efforts right here.