Saying No to Plastic

The Conservation Issue

More than 70 million tons of single-use plastics are produced every year. Only 9% of what is put in the recycling bin actually ends up being recycled -- the rest ends up in landfills, the ocean, or simply dumped - and takes about 1,000 years to decompose.

With 8 million tons of plastic finding its way into our oceans annually, there will be more plastic than fish in the sea by 2050. Animals on land are being equally affected by plastic. Littered plastic bags, fishing wires and bottles commonly trap and entangle wildlife. Some mistake plastic for food and consumption leaves them severely sick and often dead.

Plastic in our own backyard is hurting the California Condor. These majestic birds are eating bits of littered plastic, feeding it to their young and including it in their nests, all leading to illnesses and deaths of this endangered species.

Solutions to the plastic problem are practical and critically needed. Changes need to happen at all levels: manufacturing, correct recycling of plastic and personal purchasing choices. Simple changes to how we use plastic are the best way to combat this worldwide crisis. Join Oakland Zoo and hundreds of others in taking the "No To Plastic" pledge! Click here.

Oakland Zoo Takes Action

2020 was Oakland Zoo's year of saying #NoToPlastic. We featured Washed Ashore exhibits, aesthetically powerful art that educates a global audience about plastic pollution in the ocean and waterways and spark positive changes in consumer habits. We engaged our staff and the public in taking the #NoToPlastic pledge, to eliminate our reliance on single-use plastic. We expanded organized clean-ups to local beaches and waterways, to protect our local habitats from plastic waste. Our work to combat plastic waste doesn't end there, it is part of our ethos and will be something we continue to work.

Around the Zoo

• Water fountains and water refill stations throughout the zoo, making it easy to fill and reuse bottles
• Membership cards are now digital, cutting down on the plastic cards and paper mailers
• Envelopes with windows use biodegradable film and not plastic
• All ink cartridges are recycled through "Cartridges for Kids"
• Our "Walk in the Wild" event went plastic free in 2019. Over 300 guests were given a reusable souvenir wine glass and fork-spoon set to enjoy the event's food and drink waste free
• Easy to correctly recycle plastic through multiple wildlife-proof waste collection containers throughout the zoo
• We are phasing out plastic trash bags zoo-wide. We use reusable or compostable paper bags for collecting yard work and go without bin liners in office spaces and break rooms
• We celebrate Plastic Free July by challenging each department to commit to a new way to reduce plastic at the zoo
• Campaign buttons are now made on cardboard, eliminating plastic film used with most buttons
• Monthly staff trash clean ups on Golf Links Rd. outside of Zoo property

Gift Shop

• Plush Eco-kins from Wild Republic stuffed animals are made with 100% recycled materials and packaging is 100% recyclable
• Worked directly with Wild Republic to modify packaging of Quest Toy Box Sets that now use no plastic covering and use metal clips to fasten toys to packaging
• Bees Wrap, a non-plastic alternative for storage
• Bamboo utensils and metal straws
• Kastfel T-Shirts and hoodies made from plastic bottles
• Reusable Tote Bags and backpacks

Education Programs

• Exclusively use compostable cutlery, plates, and cups for programs
• Compost ZooSchool lunch waste from classrooms
• Encourage waste-free lunches for programs
• Avoid single-use plastic name tags and stickers for programs

Going Green in Our Restaurants

• All plastic bottled drinks were removed from our cafes and snack stands in 2020. Instead we offer aluminum drink cans, reusable cups and pre-filled reusable water bottles.
• Popcorn, milk & cotton candy packaging changed to more eco-friendly packaging
• All To-Go food packaging is compostable
• All plates, napkins, cups and utensils are compostable and able to be disposed of in the compost bin
• Milk changed from packages that contain straws to disposable milk cartons
• We have implemented a three-stream waste sorting system in our kitchens and back-of-house areas in all cafes
• We stopped offering plastic straws over a decade ago, and now offer reusable metal straws for sale

Animal Care Initiatives

• Feed sacks repurposed as trash bags or storage throughout Animal Care
• Portioned meat for animal diets is wrapped in butcher paper or compostable bags instead of plastic
• Food storage for animals is in reusable Tupperware
• Syringes used for medication are safely reused as many times as possible
• One master trash can is used in sections instead of many, reducing usage of plastic bags
• Reusable dish and work gloves are used rather thank single use plastic gloves

You Can Too!

Take the Plastic Pledge

Join Oakland Zoo and hundreds of others in taking the "No To Plastic" pledge! Click here.

Skip the Plastic

Share top 5 ways to combat single-use plastics with others

Choose reusable bottles instead of single use drinks

Skip the straw, opt for reusable

Bring utensils or opt for compostable

Avoid paper and plastic bags at the grocery store, use reusable bags instead

Pass on the single use coffee pods, choose a reusable option

Buy in bulk and opt for food without plastic packaging

Use newspaper instead of plastic bags to line waste bins

Community Clean-Ups

Join Oakland Zoo in Taking Action for whales, sea turtles, shorebirds and all native Wildlife! Volunteers meet at the Zoo and ride the Zoo Shuttle to a local bay-destined waterway to remove trash, including the ever-abundant plastics that harms and kills our seabirds, turtles, fish and more. *Please note clean-ups are currently on hold.

Can't make it? Join us on one of our monthly Arroyo Creek Clean Up events throughout the year.

To continue to learn ways how you can help the environment and how Oakland Zoo is Taking Action for Wildlife subscribe to our Newsletter.

Together We Can Make a Difference!