SUSTAINABLE LIVING

You may hear the term sustainable living a lot these days but what does it actually mean? Simply put, sustainable living is the practice of limiting or trying to reduce your demand for natural resources (water, plants, animals, fossil fuels, etc.) and additionally, opting for renewable resources and cutting down on waste wherever possible. Sustainable living is more important now more than ever. Not only are we taking an unhealthy amount of natural resources, but also we’re pumping an unhealthy amount of waste back into the environment. With trash in our oceans and new animals becoming endangered everyday, the environment and animals are being affected the most. Eventually, however, humans will come face to face with the consequences unless we start to choose sustainable living now!

1. Cut down on waste and single-use plastics! Some simple things that we can do everyday are choosing reusable shopping bags, straws, and water bottles instead of plastic ones, buying secondhand clothes and electronics, and buying essential items in bulk. As part of our kNOw Plastics initiative the zoo is consistently looking for ways to remove one time use plastics from our operations.
2. Start composting. Not only is composting good for your garden but it’s also good for the environment! By composting you’re: recycling organic resources and conserving landfill space, reducing the need for garden fertilizers, and encouraging healthy garden root structures, among much more. To learn more about composting and how to get started, click here!
3. Choose sustainable products. One easy way to do this (and to help our penguin friends) is to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium website to ensure the seafood you’re purchasing is sustainably sourced. To learn more, visit seafoodwatch.org.

Feature Initiatives & Partners

BIRD FRIENDLY COFFEE

Bird Friendly coffee beans come from farms that provide forest-like habitats for birds. Most commercial coffees are grown on land that has been cleared out for farming, but Bird Friendly coffees are completely shade-grown. This means that they are planted under a diverse canopy of native trees, and these trees provide a habitat for native birds and other wildlife that is second only to undisturbed forest. Bird Friendly coffees are also 100% organic!

Where do I find Bird Friendly coffee?

Right here at the Zoo! In collaboration with Calm Waters Coffee Roasters based in Bristol, Pennsylvania, the Lehigh Valley Zoo is now offering Bird Friendly coffee! You can visit our ShopLVZOO online store from your computer or mobile device, or come see us in person and visit the Nature store. You can also add a bag of coffee onto any education programming package!

Other Bird Friendly coffee can be found at retailers, including some chain stores like Whole Foods and Wegmans! Use the Bird Friendly retailer search to find a store near you, or purchase online!

Order your Calm Waters Coffee at ShopLVZOO.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium introduced Seafood Watch in 1999 as an exhibit highlighting the impacts of seafood choices. Due to its popularity, it became a permanent conservation program. Initially, the goal was to help people make sustainable seafood choices using ratings and pocket guides. Over the past 25 years, the program has expanded, offering science-based assessments that are a leading resource on sustainable seafood globally. Seafood Watch also collaborates with businesses, governments, NGOs, and producers to promote responsible fishing and farming practices for the benefit of people and the planet.

KNOW PLASTICS

As a community leader in conservation, Lehigh Valley Zoo, with the support of PA Virtual Charter School, is embarking on the journey of eliminating single-use plastics within the zoo and helping its local community reduce plastic consumption. You can help eliminate single-use plastics by making small changes to your daily lifestyle; all while feeling great about saving the environment!