Amy and Jessica, members of the Zoo’s conservation team, drop off over 800 pounds of compost!

We have been on a mission to enhance our sustainability efforts and lead by example in our community. In addition to efforts inside the Zoo to reduce waste, we have also been on a quest to make our events as low waste as possible.

Jazzoo, the Zoo’s annual all-inclusive music festival, brought in over 1,600 attendees on November 5. The event included unlimited food from dozens of vendors, unlimited drinks at bars scattered throughout the Zoo and live music from various artists. This event may sound like a big waste builder – but, fortunately, our team has been working for the past six years to make it as sustainable as possible!

Keep Brevard Beautiful supplied us with compost bins to place throughout the event. We provided vendors with compostable plates, cups and utensils for food, meaning everything in the hands of guests that night was not going into the landfill, but to a commercial compost facility instead.

In the past, we provided the bars with compostable cups to serve guests, but this year, we gifted each guest with a reusable aluminum cup they could use all night long – and then take home to continue to use and reminisce about Jazzoo! It’s important to remember that while reusable items are the more sustainable option, they need to be continuously used to offset the impacts of their manufacturing, packaging and transportation.

Thank you, volunteers!

The day after the event, a group of 34 volunteers joined some of our conservation staff members to sort through the compost bins. Talk about dedication!

A few days after the event, Sustainability Manager Amy Reaume and Conservation Coordinator Jessica Lang loaded a truck up (more specifically, the truck that we use for our Shuck and Share program) with the dozens of bags of compostable items. They then drove up to Indianhead Biomass Services in St. Augustine to drop off the 840 pounds of compostable materials – that’s more than the combined weight of all three of our Florida black bears Cheyenne, Brody and Betty!

Not only does composting reduce space needed in the landfill, but it also produces nutrient-rich soil which is used on Florida farms! Additionally, it lowers greenhouse gases by improving carbon sequestration in the soil and preventing methane emissions, which are produced in landfills. The fewer landfills we need for human waste, the more space there is for wildlife!

If you were a part of Jazzoo this year, thank you for your support in making this event a sustainable success! If you are interested in learning more about how you can be sustainable in your daily life, check out some of our blogposts:

10 Ways to Reduce Waste in Your Daily Life

Now Available: Bird-Friendly Coffee

Recycle Your Small Electronics at the Zoo to Help Wildlife

Electric Vehicle Charging Now Available

How to Go Green in Your Cleaning Routine

Have Yourself a Sustainable Thanksgiving

We look forward to continuing on this sustainability journey and making the Zoo as “green” as possible!

Brevard Zoo is an independent, not-for-profit organization that receives no recurring government funding for our operating costs. Your generous support enables us to continue to serve our community and continue our vital animal wellness, education and conservation programs.