PRESS ROOM

ROYAL OAK, Mich., 

The Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) has been named one of Michigan’s and the nation’s 2016 Best and Brightest Sustainable Companies.  The awards are presented each year by the National Association for Business Resources to companies and organizations that exhibit leadership and innovation in their green and sustainability approach.

“Our goal is to inspire others to join us on our green journey as we continuously look for ways to reduce our ecological footprint,” said DZS Executive Director and CEO Ron Kagan.

Recent DZS sustainability efforts include discontinuing the sale of bottled water on Detroit Zoo grounds – keeping 60,000 plastic bottles out of the waste stream annually – and building the first zoo-based anaerobic digester in the country, which will annually convert more than 400 tons of animal manure into methane-rich gas to help power the Detroit Zoo’s animal hospital.  Additionally, the DZS last year joined the growing list of companies and organizations taking action to reduce the impact of their energy use by powering Zoo operations with 100 percent renewable energy from wind farms.

These sustainability initiatives are part of the DZS Greenprint ‒ a strategic plan to refine and improve daily practices and facilities, develop new policies and programs and improve green literacy and action in the community.