The Green behind the scenes

It’s officially spring! With the warming weather comes other changes around the Zoo, too. From the budding plants to the birds and reptiles moving back to their summer habitats, it’s hard not to notice all the “green”-ing happening. Some of this greening that you may not see as a guest is the Zoo’s Green Team hard at work. 

The Green Team is an internal committee of Zoo Atlanta team members who serve as a resource for the organization. The purpose of their small but mighty committee is to encourage, support, and research opportunities that improve the sustainability of the organization in support of the Zoo’s conservation mission and aid in their implementation. They do things like coordinate our recycling programs, develop educational resources, represent the Zoo at community events, and drive a culture of sustainability within the Zoo. 

If you’re thinking, “I thought this year’s Conservation Blogs were all about projects going beyond the Zoo…” Well, first, you have an excellent memory. And second, yes, the Green Team is an internal committee, but their work often extends beyond the boundaries of Zoo Atlanta’s grounds. For example, if you recycled holiday lights during our IllumiNights event, you can thank the Green Team for that opportunity! 

If you participated in our E-Waste Recycling Event in 2024, that was another Green Team initiative we’re pleased to say will be hosted again this year, on August 23. We will again be partnering with Prime Asset Recovery to collect electronic waste (computers, cell phones, tablets, keyboards, telephones, etc.) to be recycled. Stay tuned for more details!  

In the meantime, most recently, the Green Team supported Chattahoochee Riverkeeper’s annual Sweep the Hooch event. Stay tuned for our next Conservation Blog to hear from someone who participated and learn more about the river cleanup! 

Sarah Hamilton
Interpretive Engagement Specialist