Reduce your carbon footprint

Wildlife is threatened by environmental conditions changing faster and more frequently than their natural rate.

What's the issue?

The global climate has changed many times in Earth’s history. Natural changes occur slowly, over thousands and thousands of years, allowing plants and animals to adapt over many generations. When these changes occur more rapidly, wildlife struggles to keep up.
The current general warming trend of the Earth’s atmosphere, increased frequency of extreme weather events, shifting wildlife populations and habitats, and rising sea levels are cause for concern for humans and wildlife alike.

Anthropogenic climate change

Anthropogenic climate change refers to changes in climate as a result of human activity.
The average temperature of the Earth is rising at nearly twice the rate it was 50 years ago. Scientists have concluded that this rapid warming trend cannot be explained by natural cycles alone. Human activity is changing the composition of our atmosphere and affecting how the sun warms the Earth.

Fossil fuels

Fossil fuels are a non-renewable resource made of plants and other organisms that have been decomposing for millennia. We use fossil fuels to power much of the technology humans have invented in the past 100 years or so. The gas you put in your car, the oil used to make plastic, and coal burned at power-plants to supply our electricity are all examples of fossil fuels.
When we burn these fossil fuels, it releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These gases allow sunlight to pass through but trap heat in our atmosphere, like the walls of a greenhouse. This leads to rising temperatures and changing climate patterns.

Climate change & habitat loss

Species are pushed closer to extinction as climate change and habitat loss magnify each other’s effects. While species adapt more slowly to changing climate conditions over time, individual animals move to different geographic areas to find comfortable conditions. Habitat loss and fragmentation limit animals’ ability to adapt to quickly changing environmental conditions.
Species with restricted ranges and in tropical habitats are especially at risk. Only 38% of tropical forest is ‘wildlife friendly’, meaning natural habitat is disconnected and confined to smaller spaces. Without pathways to cooler climates, wildlife can’t escape the impacts of rising global temperatures. Likewise, animals that already inhabit the upper limits of their habitat, such as polar bears, have nowhere left to go.

Consequences of climate change

Weather is becoming more extreme. Many areas are already experiencing more intense major storms, floods, heavy rain or snowfall, or longer and more frequent droughts.
Some areas face agricultural challenges. Growing crops becomes more difficult as water supplies are diminished and the geographic areas where plants and animals thrive shifts.
Ice sheets such as Greenland and Antarctica are melting. These melting glaciers cause sea levels to rise, increasing the severity and frequency of flooding in coastal regions.
In urban areas, the greenhouse effect leads to higher levels of smog, which can cause health problems such as asthma, heart disease and even lung cancer.

What is zoo Atlanta doing to help?

Zoo Atlanta’s Green Team monitors the Zoo’s environmental efforts and educates our team members and our guests on ways to reduce our environmental footprint.
We’re committed to all new construction being LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified. LEED is the world’s most widely used green building rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and administered by GBCI. It provides a framework for healthy, highly efficient, and sustainable buildings. New construction projects earn points across several categories, including energy efficiency, water conservation, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and site sustainability. Projects are awarded one of four certification levels (Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum) based on the total number of points earned.
- - Scaly Slimy Spectacular: The Amphibian and Reptile Experience opened in 2015 as the world’s first LEED Gold-certified reptile and amphibian exhibit. Inside, low-flow plumbing reduces water use. Outside, rainwater is collected for watering the surrounding local plants, which prevent erosion and attract native wildlife.
  - In 2020, the Zambezi Elephant Center and the renovation of Savanna Hall earned LEED Gold certification. The Zambezi Elephant Center maximizes natural daylight through glass roll-up doors and a translucent Fiberglas clerestory. In addition to measures such as LED lighting and efficient life-support filtration systems, these features allow the Zambezi Elephant Center to achieve an over 15% energy cost savings relative to the standard building baseline.
  - Conserving 96% of Savanna Hall’s existing historic structure resulted in an estimated 45% reduction in carbon emissions for manufacturing, transportation, and installation of new materials. Strategies such as installation of LED lighting and selection of efficient HVAC systems reduce energy costs by over 25% relative to the standard baseline building. Additionally, low-flow and low-flush plumbing fixtures reduce estimated potable water use by more than 36%.
  - In 2025, the Rollins Animal Health Center earned LEED Gold certification.
Zoo Atlanta participates in 12 different recycling programs to divert over 1,800 cubic yards of waste from the landfill each year. In addition to recycling everyday items like glass, cardboard, paper (daily maps), aluminum and plastic bottles, we also participate in recycling programs for batteries, cell phones, Styrofoam, uniforms, wood waste and even animal waste.

What can you do to help?

Reduce your diet’s carbon footprint

You can reduce your diet’s carbon footprint by decreasing your red meat (beef) consumption on Meatless Monday. Livestock supply chains account for approximately 15% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Cattle are the main contributor, representing 65% of the industry’s emissions. Beef, specifically, has the highest emission intensity. Cutting meat our of your diet just one day a week will not only conserve precious natural resources; replacing animal meat with plant protein can also improve your heart health and prevent habitat loss.
The ocean is one of our first lines of defense against climate change, slowing the rate of rising global temperatures by absorbing carbon from the atmosphere. You can support a healthy marine environment by learning about where your seafood comes from. Download the Seafood Watch app to help you find sustainable options in the grocery store. Or if you’re dining out, do a little research on seafood restaurants in your area – you may be able to find a Seafood Watch partner restaurant or other sustainability information online.

Reduce your energy use

At home, our electronic devices are huge energy consumers, even when they’re off. Each year, the electricity used by these idle electronics (plugged in but not actively in use) equals the annual output of 12 power plants. You can help by unplugging devices when they’re not in use. Any easy way to do this is to use a power strip to turn off all devices at once. And, of course, turn off the lights in rooms you’re not actively using.
On the go, you can decrease your car emissions by being mindful of your driving habits. Carpooling is a great way to lower your carbon footprint and get to know your neighbors. When running errands, try to combine all you need to do into as few trips as possible.

Additional Information

One of the most abundant greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is carbon dioxide (CO2). Human activity has increased the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere by 20% in the last 100 years. Methane is the next most abundant greenhouse gas by concentration but is even better at trapping heat in the atmosphere. Methane is released by wetlands, wildfires, landfills and agriculture.

Recommended resources for additional information

References

Aldred, J. (2014, March 31). IPCC report: climate impacts on wildlife. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/mar/31/ipcc-climate-report-wildlife-impact
BBC News. (2014, April 13). Climate Change Glossary. Retrieved July 11, 2019, from https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-11833685
Borunda, A. (2018, November 23) Climate impacts grow, and U.S. must act, says new report. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2018/11/climate-change-US-report0/
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2013). Tackling climate change through livestock – A global assessment of emissions and mitigation opportunities [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3437e.pdf
Harvard University. (n.d.). Top 5 Steps to Reduce Your Energy Consumption. Retrieved July 11, 2019, from https://green.harvard.edu/tools-resources/poster/top-5-steps-reduce-your-energy-consumption
Meatless Mondays. (n.d.). Health. Retrieved July 11, 2019, from https://www.meatlessmondays.com/research/health/
National Geographic. (2019, January 17). Causes of global warming, explained. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/global-warming-causes/
National Geographic. (n.d.). Climate Change. Retrieved July 11, 2019, from https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/climate-change/
National Geographic. (n.d.). Earth’s Changing Climate. Retrieved July 11, 2019, from https://www.nationalgeographic.org/news/earths-changing-climate/
National Geographic. (n.d.). Effects of Global Warming. Retrieved July 11, 2019, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/global-warming-effects/
National Wildlife Federation. (n.d.). Climate Change. Retrieved July 11, 2019, from https://www.nwf.org/educational-resources/wildlife-guide/threats-to-wildlife/climate-change
Nunez, C. (2019, April 2). Fossil fuels, explained. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/energy/reference/fossil-fuels/
Phys.org. (2019, July 10) Paris declares ‘climate emergency’. Retrieved from https://phys.org/news/2019-07-paris-declares-climate-emergency.html
Smith, B. (2018, March 9). Dangers to the Savanna Ecosystem. Retrieved from https://sciencing.com/dangers-savanna-ecosystem-18220.html
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2018) Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: 2015 Fact Sheet [PDF]. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-07/documents/2015_smm_msw_factsheet_0724208_fnl_508_002.pdf
University of Sheffield. (2019, July 8) Climate change and deforestation together push tropical species toward extinction. Retrieved from https://phys.org/news/2019-07-climate-deforestation-tropical-species-extinction.html
Zoo Atlanta. (2020, July 7). Savanna Hall Awarded LEED Gold. Retrieved from https://zooatlanta.org/zambezi-elephant-center-and-savanna-hall-awarded-leed-gold/
Zoo Atlanta. (n.d.). Zoo Atlanta Going Green. Retrieved July 11, 2019, from https://zooatlanta.org/conservation/zoo-atlanta-going-green/

Updated May 2020

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