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Virginia Zoo ditches the plastic straws

Posted at 7:20 AM, Jun 11, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-11 14:16:26-04

NORFOLK, Va. – This is the last straw says Virginia Zoo, who is now only offering paper straws or letting customers bring their own.

The zoo had stopped using plastic straws just for Earth Day, but decided to forgo them all together because of the impact of plastic on the environment, according to officials with the Virginia Zoo.

With an estimated 119 billion pounds of plastic waste currently in our oceans and waterways, the Virginia Zoo has been not only cutting out straws, but also finding other ways to cut down on its carbon footprint.

The Virginia Zoo recently also stopped using paper maps, and has also started employee run initiatives to help curb the impact they are having on the environment negatively.

“One of the biggest ways we’re cutting back on our carbon footprint is through staff-initiated projects. The Virginia Zoo put together a Zoo-wide staff challenge to cut out the use of plastics for one day in the month of April, and will be challenging themselves to do it for the entire month of July. ”

Located in the coastal community, the Virginia Zoo says that it is also working with environmental organizations, such as the Chesapeake Bay Foundation,  to clean up the Elizabeth River and grow new oysters near the Zoo via its conservation program.

To learn more about the efforts of the Virginia Zoo’s conservation programs and initiatives, click here.