PRESS ROOM

ROYAL OAK, Mich., 

The Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) has received the Keep Michigan Beautiful award in recognition of its ongoing efforts in environmental sustainability. The award was presented Oct. 20, 2017, by Keep Michigan Beautiful, Inc., which annually recognizes programs and activities that substantially contribute to environmental improvement, clean up, beautification, site restoration and historical preservation.

“We’re honored to be recognized for our contributions to the environmental well-being of our great state, and more importantly, to inspire our community to incorporate green initiatives into their lives as well,” said DZS Executive Director and CEO Ron Kagan.

The DZS’s efforts to keep Michigan beautiful include building an anaerobic digester, which will annually convert 500 tons of animal manure and organic food waste into a methane-rich gas that will help power the Zoo’s animal hospital. The DZS is also keeping 60,000 plastic bottles out of the waste stream annually by no longer selling bottled water – previously the No. 1 seller at Zoo concessions – and encouraging visitors to purchase wildlife-themed reusable bags at Zoo gift shops in order to reduce plastic waste. In addition, the DZS incorporates permeable pavement into new visitor walkways and a parking lot, which reduces storm water runoff and filters pollutants.