A Canadian zoo partnered with Coca-Cola, a food service provider, and a reusable packaging company to reduce visitors' waste.
As Blooloop reported, the Toronto Zoo established these strategic partnerships to expand its reusable packaging initiative. The project involves diverting at least 120,000 cups from landfills, thereby limiting the environmental impacts from the 1.3 million annual zoo visitors.
The expansion is part of a shared commitment to reduce single-use waste in the zoo. Data shows that ongoing efforts are already working, as over 15,000 containers have already been reused within the zoo this year, according to Blooloop.
Now at the zoo, visitors can drink Coca-Cola beverages and eat Compass Group Canada meals in reusable containers.
The program works by charging visitors a refundable deposit when they buy food or drinks, which they can reclaim by scanning a QR code when they return packaging materials to a special bin. Alternatively, visitors can donate their deposit to the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy instead of receiving their deposit back, which ranges from CA$0.50 to CA$2.
"Our vision at your Toronto Zoo is a world where people, wildlife, and wild spaces thrive, and sustainability at your zoo is a key factor as we work toward our goal of becoming a net-zero organization," said Dolf DeJong, CEO of the Toronto Zoo, per Blooloop.
This collaborative initiative is inspiring because it is practical and impactful as well as advances shared sustainability goals. By enlisting the help of zoo visitors to curb waste within the park, the zoo and its partners create a sense of community and connection around environmental conservation.
As a tourist, you can make a difference in the world by supporting the eco-friendly initiatives of brands and organizations you love. It's beneficial to learn more about the brands you buy from so that your spending and investments align with your values.
Coca-Cola, for example, has been working to offset the company's plastic pollution by switching up its packaging and participating in initiatives like the one at the Toronto Zoo.
Even at home, you can take steps to reduce your household plastic usage and bring along your own reusable containers when you eat and drink out.
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Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to recycle old clothes and electronics?
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Giving me money back 💰 "Reuse is an important part of our packaging sustainability journey," said Mika Unterman from Coca-Cola Canada, per the zoo. "We're excited to work with Friendlier to bring this program to the Toronto Zoo, allowing visitors to enjoy their favorite beverages while helping reduce packaging waste."
"Incredible partnership making a huge impact!" Derek Vollebregt from Friendlier, the reusable packaging company, commented in a LinkedIn post.
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