Bringing a new level of green to the nutrition center – The road to zero waste certification at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Citation

Livingston S, Weber D, Brunk E, and Valdes E. 2017. Bringing a new level of green to the nutrition center – The road to zero waste certification at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. In Ward A, Coslik A, Brooks M Eds. Proceedings of the Twelfth Conference on Zoo and Wildlife Nutrition, Zoo and Wildlife Nutrition Foundation and AZA Nutrition Advisory Group, Frisco, TX.

Abstract

The Animal Nutrition Center at Disney’s Animal Kingdom received Zero Waste Certification from the US Zero Waste Business Council at Platinum Level in 2016. Inspired by the Walt Disney Company’s environmental stewardship goal to divert 60% of waste from landfills and incineration by 2020 as well as the Zero Waste Certification of the Land pavilion at Epcot, the Animal Nutrition Center started the journey to Zero Waste in 2015. After an initial measurement of 95% landfill diversion due to long-standing internal practices, the area began quarterly measurements to determine the baseline value for one year. Each quarter, measurements of total trash generated and amount of trash diverted from landfill were reported for seven consecutive days. The average percentage of trash diverted from landfill recorded for each quarter was over 95%. These values, as well as documented efforts to reduce, reuse, and recycle, helped to qualify the Animal Nutrition Center for Platinum level Certification, which was awarded in September of 2016.

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