How To Become a more Sustainable Zoo Contents 1.0 Background..........................................................................................................................2 2.0 BIAZA Sustainability Policy.................................................................................................3 2.1 2.2 SUSTAINABILITY STATEMENT ........................................................................................................................... 3 SUSTAINABILITY PRINCIPLES ............................................................................................................................. 4 3.0 WAZA Recommended Approaches to Implementing a Sustainability Programme.....4 4.0 Environmental Sustainability .............................................................................................5 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 7.9 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.13 7.14 7.15 HOW TO PREPARE AN ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ............................................................................................... 5 ENVIRONMENTAL AUDITS................................................................................................................................. 7 HOW TO SET TARGETS AND MONITOR IMPROVEMENTS .................................................................................... 7 GAINING MOMENTUM ...................................................................................................................................... 7 CARBON EMISSIONS ......................................................................................................................................... 7 Social Sustainability............................................................................................................8 SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES ........................................................................................................... 8 EXTENDED SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES ................................................................................................................ 8 SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT ........................................................................................................................... 8 ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION ........................................................................................................................ 8 ‘GREEN TEAMS’ AND DESIGNATED ROLES ........................................................................................................ 9 GETTING THE MESSAGE ACROSS TO VISITORS .................................................................................................. 9 Case studies/Top tips ........................................................................................................9 GREEN TEAM CASE STUDY: WEST MIDLAND SAFARI PARK ............................................................................. 9 COLCHESTER ZOO GREEN AWARDS ............................................................................................................... 11 GREEN TOURISM BUSINESS SCHEME AT DEEP SEA WORLD ............................................................................ 12 Glossary of terms..............................................................................................................13 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ......................................................................................................................... 13 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ..................................................................................................... 13 ISO14001 ................................................................................................................................................... 13 EMAS............................................................................................................................................................ 13 BS8555........................................................................................................................................................ 14 TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE .................................................................................................................................... 14 TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE REPORTING .................................................................................................................. 14 ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT ........................................................................................................................ 14 EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY........................................................................................................... 14 LIFE-CYCLE THINKING/WHOLE LIFE COSTS ..................................................................................................... 14 SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT ......................................................................................................................... 15 CLOSED LOOP SYSTEMS ................................................................................................................................. 15 CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ............................................................................................................. 15 SYSTEMS THINKING ........................................................................................................................................ 15 WASTE HIERARCHY ........................................................................................................................................ 15 8.0 Useful contacts..................................................................................................................16 9.0 References .........................................................................................................................17 Appendices....................................................................................................................................18 APPENDIX I: WAZA CLIMATE CHANGE RESOLUTION .............................................................................................. 18 APPENDIX II: WHITLEY WILDLIFE CONSERVATION TRUST ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ............................................ 19 1 APPENDIX III: APPENDIX IV: 1.0 ZSL SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT POLICY ...................................................................................... 20 ‘INSPIRED BY NATURE’ INITIATIVE ................................................................................................... 23 Background The most frequently cited definition of sustainable development is ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’ (Brundtland, G, 1987). Sustainable development has many alternative definitions and is often interpreted in different ways depending on the focus of the organisation involved. However, it is widely accepted that achieving sustainable development requires the balancing of economic, social and ecological dimensions (IIED, 1994), as defined below: 1. Economic viability – enabling sustainable patterns of production and consumption which pay for themselves, with costs not exceeding income. 2. Social desirability – enabling poverty eradication and sustainable livelihoods which fulfill people’s cultural, material and spiritual needs in equitable ways. 3. Ecological sustainability – enabling the safeguarding and restoration of healthy life supporting ecosystems and to maintain their long-term viability. A Venn diagram illustrating the relationship between the three dimensions shows that sustainable development is achieved at the intersection between the three systems (Barbier, E.B, 1987). The World Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Strategy includes a chapter on sustainability (WAZA, 2005). This chapter includes a vision for zoos to work towards sustainability by reducing their ‘environmental footprint’, and lead by example using green practices and demonstrating methods for visitors to adopt sustainable lifestyles. The chapter also introduced a set of eight guiding principles to support zoos in developing objectives and activities for sustainability. These principles are for zoos to: 1. Use environmentally sound waste management 2 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Be energy efficient Use natural resources responsibly Pay if you pollute Put local consumption first Contribute to equitable development Apply the precautionary principle Encourage public awareness and participation (WAZA, 2005) The Zoos Forum Handbook suggests that the underlying principles of zoos in the UK – education, conservation and research, provide incentives and opportunities for zoos to act in accordance with sustainable development (Defra, 2006). The conservation and educational role of zoos was formalised into a statutory requirement by the EC Zoos Directive and by the UK Secretary of State’s Standards of Modern Zoo Practice (Defra, 2004). With zoos as Conservation Centres, they should naturally be leaders of environmental sustainability. With the popularity and widespread appeal of zoos, there is also a huge potential for them to be used as a positive catalyst for social sustainability activities within a community. In 2006, WAZA prepared a resolution on climate change (WAZA, 2006), see Appendix I. The subsequent year BIAZA prepared a sustainability statement (as shown in 2.1). In 2007, WAZA adopted the recommended approaches to implementing sustainability programmes as put forward by Oliver in 2007 (as shown in 3.0). A WAZA sustainability statement is currently in preparation. 2.0 BIAZA Sustainability Policy 2.1 Sustainability statement We, the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums, representing over 80 institutions visited by some 18 million people every year, have resolved the following. Given: • That zoos and aquariums are uniquely placed to communicate with and to influence large numbers of people • That they seek to inspire and influence individuals to change (for the better) their attitudes and behaviour towards the natural environment and its sustainable conservation • That they also seek to help enable those individuals to practise a more sustainable lifestyle, thereby reducing their ecological footprints BIAZA is committed to promoting and practising sustainable ‘one planet’ living. BIAZA will do this through: • Calling upon its members & the Association to lead by example and introduce sustainable practices wherever possible • Disseminating information on sustainable practices and environmental management systems to its members • Encouraging its members to promote sustainable living to their staff through appropriate training 3 • 2.2 Encouraging its members to promote sustainable living to visitors through visitor interpretation and education mechanisms Sustainability principles 1. We seek to balance environmental, ethical and social considerations alongside our economic needs and refuse to compromise future generational needs to achieve short-term objectives. 2. We promote an open and inclusive decision-making process. 3. We ensure compliance to all relevant environmental legislation and ethical codes. 4. We follow the precautionary principle to minimise potential harm to the environment through our operations in the absence of scientific certainty. 5. We seek to minimise our use of non-renewable resources, taking into consideration the restraints of the natural environment, favouring local suppliers and reducing emissions. 6. We are committed to finding innovative solutions to improve our ongoing operations and activities. 7. We seek to ensure the health, diversity and productivity of the immediate and wider environment. 8. We understand that all of us have a shared responsibility of living sustainability. 9. We seek to be a positive influence by communicating and sharing our sustainability values with our members, stakeholders and the wider community through promotion, education and facilitation. 10. We will assess the sustainability performance of our members, partners and suppliers and use available opportunities to influence and improve their sustainability performance. 3.0 WAZA Recommended Approaches to Implementing a Sustainability Programme 1. Consider and balance economic, social and environmental sustainability factors in all organisational decisions. e.g. ZSL London Zoo, where Gorilla Kingdom exhibit combined biodiversity impact mitigation strategies, sustainable building methods, and had associated Fair Trade gift items, livelihood concerns, bushmeat trade, consumer choices and field conservation links in Gabon. 2. Establish clear policies on sustainability matters to ensure the adoption of an organisation-wide approach. e.g. Twycross Zoo and Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust policy development and fish procurement policy at Ocean Park and Sea World. 3. Adopt a common approach to calculating Ecological Footprints, and measure performance on an annual basis for comparison with other zoos and sectors. e.g. Bristol Zoo have developed a scheme for measuring their ecological footprints called SALOME. WWT also have a scheme, and many zoos carry out energy and resource audits. 4 4. Work towards the accreditation of an Environmental Management System (such as ISO14001, Green Dragon) to provide a structured approach for continued environmental performance improvements. e.g. Chester, Whitley Wildlife Conservation, Bristol Zoo. 5. Develop clearly defined roles and teams to take forward the sustainability agenda within the organization e.g. Cross-departmental Green Teams, Blue teams, environmental officers, sustainability managers. 6. Display a consistent approach to sustainable and ethical procurement across the organisation, especially if certain products are promoted in shops and cafés. e.g. not just front-of-house activities. Communicate why some products aren’t available. Practice what you preach. 7. Reduce carbon emissions as much as possible before engaging in offsetting activities or considering developing offsetting conservation projects for other businesses or visitors to invest in. e.g. first measure and mitigate. Ensure contributions are to a suitable scheme with ecological and social benefits as well as carbon ones. Green travel plan. 8. Increase the involvement of local people in organisational decisions, and communicate sustainability best practice to visitors and the general public. e.g. Africam Safari are linked with a Fair Trade community project in Mexico. Don’t forget ‘backyard’ conservation. 9. Develop a formal triple bottom line reporting framework to report on sustainability performance annually e.g. zoos need to come up with their own indicators, Auckland Zoo has incorporated sustainability aspects into their online annual report. 10. Work together and partner with other zoos to make collective progress towards a more sustainable approach or towards green mentoring across Associations. e.g. BIAZA sustainability group, AZA have examples on their website, Zoos Forum Handbook chapter, Twycross Zoo linked with chimp sanctuary which already has 14001, SEAZA partnering with ARAZPA and EAZA with Latin America. 4.0 Environmental Sustainability 4.1 How to prepare an environmental policy A ‘good’ environmental policy is one that works – fulfilling its purpose and supporting the evolution of environmental management for the organistion. It should be clearly and concisely written and link directly to work plans to take objectives forward. It should be incorporated into staff training and communicated internally and externally. Within specific EMS standards, certain features of an environmental policy are required to be present. In the case of ISO14001 (ISO 14001, 1996), these elements are that: 1. The policy must have expressed support by senior management. 2. The policy must contain a commitment to continuous improvement in the environmental management and performance of the organisation. 5 3. The policy must contain the pledge for the organisation to be legally compliant. 4. The written policy must be made available to staff and to public. 5. The policy must identify areas of activity and must be formulated in a way that allows the development of targets. An example zoo Environmental Policy can be found in Appendix II. 6 4.2 Environmental audits It is essential for a zoo to understand its resource usage and positive and negative environmental impacts. By doing so, an organisation can prepare a baseline of its activities from which targets and actions to achieve improved performance can occur. Many zoos find it helpful to use consultants to carry out initial audits, such as Carbon Trust and Envirowise. Depending on individual circumstances, these audits may be commissioned at no cost to the organisation, providing a commitment to addressing emergent issues is made. 4.3 How to set targets and monitor improvements An environmental management system (EMS) is a structured approach to implementing an environmental programme. This could be a bespoke system developed by the zoo to fit in with existing systems or it could be based on an internationally recognised standard. Even without an EMS in place, it is important for zoos to establish a baseline of their current situation to identify priority areas, ensure compliancy and reduce negative impacts of their operations. Policies should be turned into action plans which are then translated into departmental work plans. Personnel should be provided with the resources and responsibilities to carry out the actions and measure achievements. Regular meetings should be set up to review outcomes, identify shortfalls and make ongoing improvements. 4.4 Gaining momentum If a zoo implements an EMS, ongoing improvement is integral to the maintenance of this system. If sustainability activities are carried out in a more ad hoc manner, there is sometimes a danger that momentum could be lost, due to staff changes, lack of monitoring and disjointed, ineffective approaches. By ensuring that sustainability activities are integrated across all departments and recognised within departmental objectives, this danger will be reduced. For example, Directors can incorporate sustainable organisational values and objectives into zoo missions, policies and strategies. Human Resource departments can develop roles and responsibilities that fit with the sustainability programme and they can communicate policies and procedures through ongoing training. Accountancy departments can monitor and evaluate environmental and social reporting mechanisms into annual reports, and consider whole life costs and sustainable innovation in budgetary and procurement processes. 4.5 Carbon emissions An environmental audit will identify the size of a zoo’s ‘carbon footprint’ and efforts should first be concentrated on improving energy efficiency which can reduce carbon dioxide emissions and subsequent utility costs. Carbon offsetting should then be considered as a means to address the unavoidable CO2 emissions. ‘Carbon Offsetting’ is the generation of a carbon dioxide saving which is equivalent to the CO2 emissions of a specific activity; in this case the activities of a zoo. Offsets can be achieved through a wide variety of methods such as forest restoration and protection, renewable energy development or methane capture. It is unlikely that a zoo will have the resources to 7 design and coordinate its own carbon offset project, so instead should look to invest in one of the projects available on the Voluntary Offset Market. Voluntary offsets can vary in quality, so strict due diligence should be conducted on all prospective projects, checking for transparency and verification such as the Climate, Community and Biodiversity Project Design Standard. By choosing ecological and environmentally focused offset projects, such as the restoration ecology projects offered by the World Land Trust, zoos can demonstrate strong commitment to sustainability and also contribute to WZACS’s recommendation on ‘the conservation of entire ecosystems’. 5.0 Social Sustainability It is important to balance social impacts of zoos alongside environmental ones and look at ways to improve and enhance how zoos interact with and contribute to their communities. Zoos can make positive impacts in a variety of ways, such as through improving purchasing and hiring behaviours, increased community participation and socially-beneficial conservation work. 5.1 Sustainable employment practices Zoos should ensure that equal opportunity and non-discriminatory employment procedures are followed which are fair and transparent, and that clear health and safety protocols are in place. Zoos, as responsible employers, should enable staff to be well supported and be in fulfilling roles that allow for their career and personal development. 5.2 Extended social responsibilities Zoos should ensure that the contractors and suppliers they choose to work with share their high standards with regard to employment practices and environmental performance. A zoo has a moral responsibility to ensure it does not unwittingly support unethical or environmentally damaging practices, such as child slavery, inadequate working conditions, unfair trading regimes or unsustainable extraction practices. A policy on recruitment criteria for contractors may be necessary to ensure that the tender process values good ethical and environmental performance alongside cost-effectiveness. 5.3 Sustainable procurement Zoos should ensure that they have policies and strategies in place so that organisational values are upheld through all departmental, operational and project-based procurement. Purchasing decisions should take into consideration whole life and social costs alongside financial costs. ‘Green’ products, such as organic fabrics and foods, MSc-certified fish and Fair Trade items are frequently sold in zoo shops and cafés, but, if this practice is a reflection of organisational values rather than outward-facing ‘greenwash’, then the practice should also be found in back-of-house departments (Oliver, 2007). When factoring in environmental and social considerations, the lowest financial cost option will not necessarily be the ‘best value’ for money. An example of a Sustainable Procurement Policy can be found in Appendix III. 5.4 Accessibility and inclusion When designing new exhibits, pathways or sites, it is important to consider how they can be made more accessible to all ages, cultures, nationalities, and different physical and learning abilities. A mixture of media and approaches is important with interpretation 8 content displayed at various heights and at different levels of complexity. Zoos should look for ways to increase their involvement with the local community through participation with local interest groups and schools. The local community can also contribute to zoo decision-making through advisory groups, focal groups and joint ventures, such as public transport opportunities or local produce initiatives, that provide social benefits to both parties. 5.5 ‘Green Teams’ and designated roles A recent study on sustainability in BIAZA-member zoos found that activities such as implementing an EMS, using renewable energy, and achieving cost savings through improving efficiency, were more likely to occur with a designated member of staff or team in place responsible to drive activities forward (Oliver, 2007). The most successful ‘Green Teams’ are those that are supported at the highest level and involve personnel from all departments. Regular meetings to record and review progress are essential, as are clear roles and responsibilities and actions to be taken forward. For a cultural shift to occur within an organisation, there must be top-down support and resources for widespread adoption. At directorial level, mission statements, policies, budgets, job descriptions and time-allocations should all support this consensus. A more participatory approach is also desirable to involve local interest groups, schools and residents in advisory roles to assist zoos with their decision-making process. This will help zoos to understand their audiences better as well ensure they operate in a more sociallyconscious manner that does not conflict with the desires and requirements of the local community. 5.6 Getting the message across to visitors The best way for zoos to be a positive influence on visitors and their lifestyles is for zoos to lead by example, promoting a clear message of their commitment through the activities of their staff and the operation of their sites. A ‘lifestyle choices’ initiative was put forward at the 2007 CBSG meeting to suggest a way for zoos to be catalysts for positive change in their communities. This initiative can be found in Appendix IV. With an organisation-wide approach and capitalising on high visitation figures, zoos can position themselves at the forefront of the sustainability agenda and be a real force for change within their communities. 6.0 Case studies/Top tips 6.1 Green Team Case Study: West Midland Safari Park The West Midland Safari Park (WMSP) ‘Green Team’, was established following the 2007 annual BIAZA conference. The topic of discussion was ‘The Sustainable Zoo and Aquarium’ and gave delegates an insight into successful implementation of sustainability within ‘zoos’. Prior to the conference, WMSP always considered the economic impacts of its activities during decision making processes and were also starting to be concerned about environmental impacts, but social responsibility was an issue that was hardly ever 9 contemplated. In addition there was no particular individual, or department, that took responsibility for sustainability at WSMSP. The Assistant Director of Wildlife and Research and Conservation Officer, were therefore extremely motivated to initiate the establishment of a ‘Green Team’; with the aim of writing a Green Policy for WMSP, that would be implemented across the whole site and cover a range of issues. With full backing from the Directors, the team was established with managers from each department within the Park; ensuring that each department had an input into the policy and that team members would have the power to implement and enforce changes within their own departments. The Green Team started by looking at WMSP’s waste management, as the Director’s felt that this was an ‘easier’ issue for the committee to tackle first; helping the team to stay motivated and enthusiastic. Furthermore the majority of WMSP’s waste was being sent to landfill and thus there was huge scope for change; having an enormous positive effect almost immediatley. However, tackling waste management has been a bigger task than first thought! The research stage (measurement of current waste production, researching the different types of waste produced, costing of current waste removal, legislation and researching the logistics of managing waste more efficiently) has taken five months alone. The committee was also larger than first envisaged; with ten members it was quite difficult to arrange meetings that suited everyone and although meetings were only held once a month, only 70% of the team would ever be present. A lack of commitment from particular individuals and the slow progress of the committee often left the rest of the team despondent. The committee was therefore re-structured and now consists of a small group of highly committed and enthusiastic individuals. In addition, either the Operations Director, or one of his deputies, now also attends each meeting; taking an active lead role and aiding the team to establish achievable aims. The team believes that this has been instrumental in keeping them focussed and moving forward and although there have been initial ‘teething’ problems, the WMSP Green Team is now really starting to progress. WMSP is seeking planning permission to establish a waste management centre, with the aim of segregating waste onsite for recycling. The local council have been involved with discussions and planning and we aim to decrease the amount of waste we send to landfill, by 20% in our first year. If successful we hope to increase this to 30% in the second year. WMSP is raising awareness with all employees in relation to waste management; new staff are trained at inductions and a bi-monthly newsletter keeps existing staff informed of updates and changes. Paper recycling facilities have been installed to all offices throughout the Park and the response from staff has been overwhelming, so much so, that WMSP is now looking at extending these facilities, to incorporate recycle points for plastic, cardboard and glass. In addition all of the Park’s waste cooking oil is sold for producing bio-fuel and from 2008 all guidebooks will be printed on recycled paper. The highlight so far has been a joint partnership project with the local council. WMSP is helping to sponsor the purchase of a ‘Rocket’; an accelerated food composter for 10 schools. The ‘Rocket’ will initially go into secondary schools within the local district, each school having the composter for 6 months. We aim to educate pupils about the benefits of taking a more sustainable approach, to the disposal of food and garden waste. For any green team to be successful, it must have full backing from the most senior management. The team should not be too large, otherwise meetings will be difficult to arrange and team members should be fully committed individuals, who ‘believe in the cause’, or else the team will quickly become dispirited and it won’t progress. The team should also understand that when first looking at sustainability, it is a huge task and it should be divided into manageable sections; it will also take time and patience is a virtue. For further information or advice on establishing a green team please contact Laura Warner, Research and Conservation Officer at West Midland Safari Park. E-mail: [email protected] 6.2 Colchester Zoo Green Awards Colchester Zoo is dedicated to reducing its environmental footprint by instigating sustainable initiatives around the zoo grounds. In 2007, in order to celebrate the creation of a green section to our website, Colchester Zoo developed a green awards scheme to reward our local residents; to encourage and recognise the hard work and dedication of both families and schools that are trying to reduce their environmental footprint. The idea of Colchester Zoo’s Green Award scheme was to encourage both local families and schools to be sustainable and to develop new initiatives, anything from a small scale recycling scheme to making composters and wormeries. A simple application form was developed. We asked that applicants include additional material, such as photographs, to enhance their application and to write a 250 word article outlining why they should win the award. Two award categories and prizes were offered. These included: the ‘Best Green School Project’, with a prize of a free class visit to Colchester Zoo for a class of 30 children and coach hire to get to the zoo, along with access to the zoo’s educational resources and a Colchester Zoo Green Award shield. The second award developed for the ‘Best Green Family or Individual’ included a family gold card membership to Colchester Zoo and a Colchester Zoo Green Award shield. The awards were judged by members of Colchester Zoo’s green committee and the winners were informed during Colchester Zoo’s Festival of Nature celebration week. We had over 50 applicants in total and 10 families and 6 schools were put into the final assessment. In the end, our winning family were chosen as a result of their work contributing to a ‘Save it’ campaign, which they helped promote through their school and local community, involving their local water, gas and electric companies and the council in a scheme to develop green initiatives. They also regularly participate in the school walking bus, get involved with litter picking schemes, recycle as much as they can at home and work to reduce their water consumption too. The winning school for the Best Green 11 School project appointed a light monitor to turn off all the lights and electrical equipment in the school when not in use, held fundraising events in which they raised money to purchase new bins for their new composting scheme, purchased new picnic benches made from 100% recycled materials, developed a tree planting scheme; planting 8 trees a year to reduce their carbon footprint and also initiated a gardening club to grow some of their own fruit and vegetables for the school kitchen. In 2008, Colchester Zoo plans to continue its Green Awards Scheme and will redevelop the criteria to raise the standards necessary for application. The future aim is to develop an ongoing programme with a booklet of green tasks, which the applicant must complete and provide evidence of, in order to receive a certificate and stickers for different stages of completion. Those applicants that complete the highest number of green tasks each year will be entered into a draw and the winning entry will receive a family gold card to Colchester Zoo or free group or school entry where applicable. 6.3 Green Tourism Business Scheme at Deep Sea World Deep Sea World has always endeavoured to promote responsible behaviour towards the environment mainly through education but over the last four to five years we have been looking much more closely at how we as a business, were able to reduce the effects we have on it. We have now introduced many comprehensive policies and procedures and this has now become an integral part of our staff training programme. In addition we have extended our education programmes to include eco –schools and have forged new links with the community. At Deep Sea World we are committed to providing a good high quality of service, whilst minimising the environmental impact of our activities. A symbol of our commitment is our membership of Visit Scotland’s Green Tourism Business Scheme. This scheme provides independent accreditation and encouragement for tourism businesses to reduce the environmental impact of their activities. By encouraging sustainable practices it ensures the continued enjoyment of the environment of Scotland for future generations. Through the membership of the Green Tourism Business Scheme we have committed to: • Adhering to good environmental practices in all our business activities • Ensuring that the business meets the minimum requirements set by environmental law and fulfils its legal Duty of Care requirements for waste disposal • Achieves sustainable environmental improvement • Continuously reducing polluting activities We are proud to have been accredited with a GOLD award for excellence in environmental practice We have entered into partnership with Fife Council and a recycling centre has been opened in the Deep Sea World car park. This will be open to the public during business hours only and will have recycling bins for plastic bottles, glass bottles – clear glass, 12 brown glass and green glass as well as a recycling bin for aluminium. Within Deep Sea World we will have bins for cardboard and also a can crusher for public use within our café. We are happy to have entered into this new collaboration with Fife Council and I am sure that the new recycle centre will prove to be an invaluable asset to all within the North Queensferry community. 7.0 Glossary of terms 7.1 Sustainable development Sustainable development is meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations. It refers to economic development that maintains or enhances quality of life and the integrity of the environment indefinitely, with minimum depletion of non-renewable resources. 7.2 Environmental management systems An environmental management system (EMS) is a systematic and coordinated framework used by an organisation to deliver integrated environmental activities, as set out in its environmental policy. An EMS is used to identify and solve environmental problems and to systematically manage environmental activities, products and services and to achieve obligations and performance targets. An EMS can be implemented in different ways depending on the sector or needs of management, but core elements include an environmental policy; environmental action plan; organisational structure; integration into operations; documentation system to collect, analyse, monitor and retrieve information; corrective and preventive action; EMS audits; management review; training and external communications. 7.3 ISO14001 There are a number of verification systems in place to formalise an organisation’s EMS. ISO14001 has become the most popular internationally-recognised voluntary scheme as it is applicable to all sectors and is relatively intuitive to implement. The ISO14001 does not specify a level of environmental performance to be achieved, as this would be highly dependant on the individual sector involved, or the starting level of an organisation. The ISO14001 rather provides a framework to help organisations deliver the commitments set out in their environmental policies, and to provide a holistic, strategic approach for organisations to achieve ongoing environmental improvements. 7.4 EMAS The Eco-Management and Auditing Scheme (EMAS) is a European voluntary standard initially set up for the manufacturing industry, but now also applied by other sectors. It has similar objectives to the ISO14001 – namely to improve organisations’ environmental performance by requiring commitment from them to evaluate and reduce their environmental impacts. It places a greater emphasis on reporting and provision of public information, and so is perceived by many to be a more involved scheme than ISO14001. 13 7.5 BS8555 Some small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UK are finding that the British Standard BS8555 is also a useful tool towards achieving ISO14001, through its phased implementation approach. The advantage of using BS8555 to guide an organisation towards certification is that the organisation’s commitment and performance is recognised at each stage of the process, encouraging ongoing improvement and achieving external recognition. The compatibility between BS8555 and ISO14001 has been strengthened and it is now a relatively simple process to obtain the full ISO14001 certification as the sixth and final step of the BS8555 process. 7.6 Triple Bottom Line The ‘triple bottom line’ approach was a term first coined by John Elkington (Elkington, 1998), that has become the new paradigm to the traditional ‘financial bottom line’. The triple bottom line approach promotes the balance of social and ecological factors alongside economic ones within an organisation’s decision making process. 7.7 Triple Bottom Line reporting Triple bottom line reporting is reporting which brings together the financial, environmental and social reporting needs of an organisation into an easily understood whole (Ward and Croixer, 2001). To report on social and environmental impacts, a zoo will need to decide what to measure, how to verify performance and how to communicate impacts and achievements to stakeholders. The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI, 2006) sets out a possible framework for this that could be adopted by zoos to adapt their annual reporting mechanisms. 7.8 Environmental Footprint An environmental footprint is a measure used to estimate the proportion of the Earth’s natural resources that are required to carry out a particular purpose. This could be measured at any scale, such as one person’s lifestyle choices over a year or the resources consumed by a city over a decade. The footprint can be used to highlight the level of unsustainable resource use by an organisation to highlight areas where reductions in consumption can be made. 7.9 Extended producer responsibility Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is when an organisation expands the boundary of operations that it has responsibility for. For zoos, an example might be that we look to improve transport options to influence how our visitors are able to travel to and from our sites. Extended producer responsibility also refers to an organisation making choices up or down the supply chain, such as selecting contractors with a good environmental performance or purchasing goods from local, organic, or Fair Trade suppliers. 7.10 Life-cycle thinking/whole life costs This is a whole-system perspective where an organisation considers the whole-life environmental, social and economic costs associated with the procurement of goods and services. 14 7.11 Sustainable procurement Sustainable procurement is procurement of goods, services, utilities and works that takes into consideration wider environmental, economic and social costs and benefits, over and above private cost-benefit analysis. The process is cyclical because it follows the life cycle of these goods, works and services – from the initial identification of a business need, maintanance throughout their servicable life, to how goods are reused, recycled, or disposed of, or once a service contract comes to an end. The aim of Sustainable Procurement is to move away from a linear system of purchase, use and disposal, towards a closed loop system whereby resources are recirculated and waste is eliminated or minimised. 7.12 Closed loop systems A closed loop system is the goal of organisations striving to reduce their environmental footprint and minimise waste. It is the opposite from an open or linear system where resources are typically bought into an organisation from the wider environment, utilised and then disposed of as waste into the environment. To create a closed loop system, all zoo operations should be viewed within the context of the system as a whole and measures should be taken to reduce the inflow and outflow of resources so that less resources are required, non-biodegradable and toxic resources are reduced, and more resources are ultimately reused or recycled within the system. 7.13 Corporate social responsibility Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is the business approach towards addressing societal concerns and making a positive contribution to the community. It does, however, sometimes get used as an umbrella word that also encompasses a business’s environmental activities. CSR is an ongoing commitment of an organisation towards improving working conditions, equal opportunities and general wellbeing of employees alongside being a positive influence to society as a whole. 7.14 Systems thinking A holistic viewpoint to understand the dynamic interactions and patterns of complex situations. This is the opposite of a reductionist viewpoint where a complex situation is dissected into component parts to try to simplify and lineate the issue. Systems thinking considers that the ‘whole’ may be greater than the sum of its ‘parts’. To study an ecosystem As an ecological example, systems thinking could be used to study the ecological functions and cultural benefits of a tropical rainforest rather than study a component such as a species or carbon. 7.15 Waste hierarchy The waste hierarchy is a useful framework for sustainable waste management. It is as follows: ‘reduce, reuse, recycle, energy recovery, disposal’. It is a simple ordered list in which options for waste management are to be considered based on their low to high environmental impact. The list has ‘reduction’ as the most preferential option and ‘disposal’ as the last resort option. 15 8.0 Useful contacts Best Foot Forward – a sustainability consultancy specialising in natural resource accounting methods such as resource flow analysis, ecological footprinting and carbon accounting. www.bestfootforward.com Climate Community and Biodiversity Alliance – an American-based partnership of research institutions, corporations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that produced the Climate, Community and Biodiversity Project Design Standards to assist organisations wishing to establish a voluntary carbon offsetting project. Carbon Trust – carry out energy audits to establish baseline information. If zoos are large energy consumers, this audit is often free providing a commitment to addressing issues is made. www.carbontrust.co.uk Energy Savings Trust – information and advice on how to be more energy efficient http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/ Envirowise – a government-funded business support organisation. They carry out waste and water audits to help businesses establish baseline information. www.envirowise.gov.uk Global Reporting Initiative – An international non-profit organisation that uses a network of experts to develop the GRI Sustainability Reporting Framework. This is used by businesses to report on ecological and social impacts as well as financial ones. www.globalreporting.org Green Business Network – providing environmental advice and support to local businesses to help them improve their environmental performance. www.greenbusinessnetwork.org.uk National Industry Symbiosis Programme – an innovative business opportunity programme encouraging a collective approach to materials and by-product exchange across traditionally separate sectors to reduce waste and save money. The scheme takes natural symbiotic relationships as its inspiration, turning one business’s ‘waste’ products into a usable resource for another. World Land Trust – an international conservation charity which manages the Carbon Balanced programme providing carbon dioxide offsets that both offset CO2 emissions and conserve biodiversity. www.worldlandtrust.org and www.carbonbalanced.org World Wildlife Trust (WWF) – a conservation organisation that established the One Planet Living footprinting tool in partnership with BioRegional. www.oneplanetliving.org Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) – a not-for-profit company that seeks to improve efficiency of materials and encourage recycling as part of the UK Government’s waste strategy. WRAP advises businesses, and organises free information sessions around the country. www.wrap.org.uk 16 9.0 References Barbier, E.B (1987), "The concept of sustainable economic development", Environmental Conservation, Vol. 14 No.2, pp.101-10. Brundtland, G. (ed.), (1987). Our Common Future: The World Commission on Environment and Development, Oxford, Oxford University Press. Link to copy of report at http://ringofpeace.org/environment/brundtland.html Defra (2006). Zoos Forum Handbook, Defra online publication, U.K. Elkington, J. (1998). Cannibals with Forks: The Triple Bottom Line of 21st Century Business, Capstone Publishing Ltd., U.K. GRI (2006). Sustainability Reporting Guidelines, Global Reporting Initiative, The Netherlands. www.globalreporting.org IIED (1994). Whose Eden? Empowering local communities to manage their wildlife resources, International Institute for Environment and Development Perspectives, 13: 3-5. ISO14001 (1996). Organisation. Environmental Management Standard, International Standards Standards of Modern Zoo Practice, (2004). Defra website http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/gwd/zooprac/index.htm Oliver, S.A., (2007). Sustainability in the British Zoological Collections Sector – Activities, Implementation and Recommendations, MSc. thesis, Imperial College London, U.K. Ward G. and F. Croxier (2001). The economic and commercial benefits of long-term sustainability, Paper presented at the 18th World Energy Congress in Buenos Aires 2001. World Utilities Leader, Global Energy & Mining Group and Energy Group PriceWaterHouseCoopers, U.K. WAZA (2005). Building a Future for Wildlife – the World Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Strategy, WAZA Executive Office, Switzerland. WAZA (2006). WAZA Resolution on Climate Change, adopted at the WAZA Administrative Session, 61st Annual Meeting, Leipzig, Germany, August 27-31, 2006, available online at http://www.waza.org/conservation/index.php?main=conservation&view=sustainability 17 Appendices Appendix I: WAZA Climate Change Resolution Background IUCN – The World Conservation Union states that global climate change is one of the most pressing concerns of the 21st century. Warming temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, increased extreme events and sea level rise are already being observed and will have serious implications for economies, society and the environment. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions to limit future climate change and improving the capacity of the world’s biodiversity and poorest communities to adapt to its inevitable impacts are the two central challenges. It is expected that the number of species requiring conservation help will increase dramatically as the effects of climate change are understood with greater clarity and focus. There are three distinct and focused areas of work where it is believed that the zoo and aquarium community is not currently incorporating the likely effects of climate change sufficiently into its thinking and activities: 1. Species Risk Assessment Climate change dynamics must be more effectively incorporated into conservation risk assessment processes, including modelling tools and workshop methodology. 2. Zoo and Regional Collection Planning Taxon advisory groups need to ensure that taxa threatened by predicted climate change impacts are given enhanced consideration in collection planning reviews at institutional and regional levels. 3. Zoo Community Commitment to Climate Change Mitigation The global zoo and aquarium community should assume a leadership role, through exemplary daily operational activities, in environmental sustainability, particularly in achieving a sustainable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The global zoo and aquarium community should also initiate and sustain a long-term, worldwide education campaign that focuses on issues of environmental sustainability, in particular Climate Change. Resolution on Climate Change RECOGNIZING the severity of the threats from climate change facing species, habitats and biomes around the world; RESPONDING to a call for action formulated by the Conservation Breeding Specialist Group of IUCN – The World Conservation Union at its Annual Meeting in Halle, 24 – 27 August 2006; THE WORLD ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS: 18 COMMITS significantly to increase the quantity and quality of its actions to reduce global warming; ALSO COMMITS to a long-term, WAZA-led campaign to reduce the global greenhouse gas emissions generated by zoo and aquarium operations, and significantly to increase awareness of the threats to biodiversity from global warming. Appendix II: Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust Environmental Policy The Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust is a registered educational and scientific charity dedicated to the conservation of wildlife and the natural environment; and owns significant tourist attractions in the south west of England. The Trust recognises that the conservation of wildlife and that of materials and resources are intrinsically linked and that the daily activities of the organisations it owns create significant environmental impacts, especially in the areas of waste production, water and energy usage. The Trust is committed to managing existing and new practices at each of its sites so as to minimise the environmental impact of these activities and to support the principles of sustainable development. Each organisation will do this by investigating and using the best available and most cost effective techniques and will put aside resources in terms of time and money to achieve these goals. Each member of the WWCT is committed to: • Continually improving its environmental performance in relation to its activities, products and services; • Complying with all current and future legislation related to the environment and its protection and other standards of relevance to the Zoo industry; • Reviewing all of its activities, products and services to identify, quantify and evaluate their environmental impact; • Preventing pollution and monitoring and reducing any adverse impact of its operations on the environment and local community; • Demonstrating efficiency in the use of energy, water and natural resources; • Minimising waste by re-using and recycling where practicable; • Purchasing environmentally-preferable goods and services where appropriate and ensuring its suppliers and contractors demonstrate a responsible attitude towards the environment when on site; • Developing appropriate emergency response plans for potential incidents on its land to minimise their environmental impact; • Training staff to enhance awareness of relevant environmental issues and ensure effective management of its environmental impacts; • Developing educational programmes to provide opportunities for visitors to further their understanding of environmental issues and sustainable development; • Communicating the Environmental Policy to all those who have an interest in the trust, including staff, visitors, suppliers, contractors, investors, appropriate authorities, local communities and other organisations. In order to meet these commitments, Paignton Zoo will implement an Environmental Management System and will develop objectives and targets each year in order to achieve continuous environmental improvement. 19 The Environmental Policy has been communicated to all members of staff. It is available on each of the members websites (www.paigntonzoo.org.uk, www.livingcoasts.org.uk, www.newquayzoo.org.uk) and copies are available from Paignton Zoo office. The policy will be reviewed at least every two years to ensure that it remains relevant. Appendix III: ZSL Sustainable Procurement Policy Background What is Sustainable Procurement? Procurement is the cycle of acquiring goods, works and services from third parties and from in-house providers. Sustainable procurement takes into consideration wider environmental, economic and social costs and benefits, over and above private costbenefit analysis. The process is cyclical because it follows the life cycle of these goods, works and services – from the initial identification of a business need, maintanance throughout their servicable life, to how goods are reused, recycled, or disposed of, or once a service contract comes to an end. The aim of Sustainable Procurement is to move away from a linear system of purchase, use and disposal, towards a closed loop system whereby resources are recirculated and waste is eliminated or minimised. What is ‘Best Value For Money’? The start of the procurement cycle must involve an options appraisal to ensure that procurement is essential and cannot be replaced by in-house provision. ‘Best value for money’ is determined by choosing the option that offers the optimum combination of whole life costs and benefits to meet our requirement. Our requirement will be established at the earliest stage of the procurement process as our economic, social, environmental and other strategic objectives defined in the business need. Best value for money does not imply the lowest price option and requires assessing the ongoing revenue and resource costs as well as the initial capital investment. Why is Sustainable Procurement So Important to Us? Sustainable Procurement is a key way for ZSL to take forward the delivery of its Sustainability Principles. The procurement choices that we make must have a noticeable positive socio-economic and environmental impact, and send is a clear signal of how we want to be seen as an organisation now and in the future. ZSL Sustainable Procurement Principles 1. We encourage workforce and supplier diversity, and seek to increase our links with voluntary and community organisations in the supply and service sectors. 2. We ensure that our procurement processes are transparent and open to the whole of the supplier community. 3. We promote good employment practices through a commitment to equal opportunities, a working environment free from discrimination and oppression, clear codes of conduct, and provision of appropriate training and skills development. 20 4. We promote a positive contribution to our local communities through our procurement activities and through best-use of local efforts and resources. 5. We examine and encourage ethical sourcing practices and good environmental management practices among current and potential suppliers and partners. 6. We seek to minimise the use of resources and minimise waste production through an ongoing process of reviewing our resource use efficiencies and exploring alternative and innovative solutions. 7. We source green energy wherever possible and adopt appropriate energy management measures across our sites and through our transport networks. 8. We ensure that vehicles purchased have low pollutant emissions, and take account of the need to minimise emissions in purchasing goods and services. 9. We communicate our sustainable procurement practices to our stakeholders wherever possible through our sites and via our partnerships and sponsors. 10. We are making appropriate financial and staff resources available to take sustainable procurement forward. 11. We are implementing appropriate means of measuring progress, including establishing a baseline and regularly reporting progress. Check list for all ZSL procurement activities This list should be used at the start of the procurement cycle in conjunction with the ZSL Sustainable Procurement Principles to minimise the environmental and social impacts of all our activities and to ensure ‘best value for money’ choices are made. 1. Can your procurement activity be avoided or minimised? For example, is a new purchase essential, or can you reuse or reclaim an existing item. 2. Can you share goods/services between different departments or sites rather than purchasing independently? For example, thinking holistically to share equipment that is not in constant use, buying in bulk to be more cost-effective to purchase sustainable alternatives and reduce transportation requirements. 3. Can your intended procurement of goods be exchanged for a procurement of services instead? For example, leasing rather than the purchase of vehicles, electrical equipment, furnishings etc. 4. Can you create an ongoing service relationship with a manufacturer or service company to ensure lifecycle responsibilities for products under their care? 5. Under what conditions were the goods manufactured? For example, did the product come from somewhere where workers are exploited? Choose Fair Trade and other eco-labelling options if available, to reduce the risk of contributing to unethical work practices. 6. Can the goods be made of reclaimed or recycled materials? 7. What will happen to the goods after they reach the end of their serviceable lives? For example, can they composted? Can they be disassembled and reused? Are the product’s components and emissions non-toxic to the environment? 8. Is the product energy efficient during its manufacture and over its lifetime and have you chosen the most energy efficient product for the job? 9. Can the product run on renewable energy? 10. How can the transportation distances be minimised? For example, can the product be sourced locally? 21 22 Appendix IV: ‘Inspired by Nature’ Initiative The Issue Scientists are in agreement that climate change is real, it is anthropogenic, and it is the most serious threat facing life on Earth today. It presents global risks and it demands an urgent global response. Anthropogenic activities are having dramatic impacts on the planet’s biodiversity, atmospheric gas composition and the stability of Earth systems. The concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHG) are rising as a result of these activities, and this is clearly be shown for CO2, in the figure below. (Source: World Resources Institute) A number of anthropogenic activities have been identified as the main contributors to GHG emissions. The types of activities and their contribution towards GHG emissions are shown in the figure below. Globally, home activities are responsible for 10% of GHG emissions, transport for 14%, offices for 5%, and waste for 4% (figures extracted from World Resources Institute data, 2000). (Source: Stern Review, 2005) Who’s responsible? As individuals, we are prone to feeling helpless at the enormity of the climate change issue – we barely know where to begin! It is fair to say that many of us ‘do our bit’, but perhaps wonder what we can really achieve by ourselves. It would be better if we felt that other people were also participating, but how can we be sure that everyone else is also playing their part? As we can only truly be responsible for our own actions, this seems a sensible place to start to address the issue. By starting at the individual level we create something that is manageable and meaningful to us. After all, the world is made up of countries, which is made up of communities, which is made up of families, and families are made up of people like you and me. 23 What is being done already? There are many books and websites that help people calculate their carbon and ecological footprints, such as ‘Carbon Calculator’, ‘Best Foot Forward’, and ‘One Planet Living’. These schemes provide people with a baseline for their current lifestyles, typically in the form of global hectares required or CO2 emitted. Most schemes include a list of suggested activities that, if carried out, help to reduce this footprint. A number of lobby groups and online schemes have been set up to motivate individuals to reduce their footprints, such as ‘We Are What We Do’ and ‘I Count’ in the UK. The ‘I Count’ scheme encourages individual actions and its website shows the location of participants and provides a noticeboard to encourage an online community of like-minded people. How do zoos fit in? Zoos incorporate ‘conservation’ and ‘awareness-raising’ as part of their mission, and many seek to encourage positive behaviours in their visitors to protect species and ecosystems. There are 1200 zoos in the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), employing over 100,000 personnel. Worldwide, WAZA zoos attract over 600 million visitors each year – equivalent to 10% of the world’s population. WAZA is an established global network of international zoos enjoying prominence and prestige within the community and attracting a wide cross-section of society. Zoos have not always been good at ‘practicing what they preach’ when it comes to environmental best-practice, and some have stood accused of not getting their own house in order before promoting schemes to their visitors. It is essential in this case that zoos to do more than inform the public on what can be done to reduce the impacts of climate change and that zoos are doing it too! Zoos know the importance of living sustainable lifestyles to reduce climate change impacts but have not, to date, established a unified position and approach on how best to respond to this challenge. It is time that zoos take responsibility and position themselves as anchors of change within the community, rather than as bystanders to the crisis. The international zoo community has always prided itself with its impressive visitation figures – now is the time to make full use of this valuable resource. So what’s the plan? A global WAZA climate change initiative is proposed to establish a step-by-step approach to reducing the collective ecological footprint of zoos and their communities. It is intended that zoos participate in the initiative alongside their continued organisationallevel efforts to improve sustainability performances of their sites. By starting with each zoo staff member as individuals taking responsibility, we can ensure that there is commitment by all zoo personnel to work towards climate change mitigation. This will ensure robustness of the scheme once it is rolled out to the community. The initiative makes use of the existing network of zoos within communities and it will be spread organically by participants to friends, families, members, visitors and schools. The initiative provides public recognition of people’s personal achievements towards tackling climate change and seeks to develop a positive momentum to encourage continued involvement and growth. This is intended to incentivise new participants and will help to fuel the participation of individuals in a collective and 24 supportive way. For the sake of discussion, this initiative has been given the working title of ‘Inspired by Nature’. How would it work? Zoos around the world will sign up via their regional zoo associations. It will be the responsibility of each zoo director to ensure that departmental managers are fully briefed and engaged with the scheme to encourage and promote ‘Inspired by Nature’ throughout the organisation. All staff members will be encouraged to achieve ‘wedges’ in the scheme which tackle lifestyle choices that are inspired by animals, to reduce their ecological footprints. For example, an ‘energy wedge’ could use a firefly as its flagship species, a ‘waste wedge’ could use a dung beetle. Inter-departmental competitions and rewards will be encouraged, as will be the displaying of certificates, wearing pin-badges, and monitoring progress. ‘Inspired by Nature’ works in a similar way to an Environmental Management System (EMS), with the operational unit in this case being the individual, rather than the organisation. Actions are grouped together to focus activities one area at a time, such as ‘water use’, in the same way as would be done at the organisation-level. Individuals are awarded a specific ‘wedge’ when one area has been addressed in recognition of their achievement, in a similar way to an organisation working towards an accredited certification scheme. The following table shows comparison between an EMS and the proposed initiative: Characteristic Environmental Management System Scale: Organisational level Recognition: Steps towards accreditation Focal areas: Operational areas with high environmental impacts Boundary: Begin with organisation, roll out to other organisations, clients and customers up and down supply chain ‘Inspired by Nature’ Individual level Wedges towards completion Lifestyle areas with high environmental impacts Begin with individual, roll out to family, friends, members, visitors, schools Each person will sign up to the initiative via the ‘Inspired by Nature’ website, linked to WAZA or regional association websites, and will select a number of achievable actions from a particular wedge. The actions selected should be new activities that have not already been tackled by the person. Different regional associations can create specific actions for the lists that are of relevance to their region. For each action, the website can determine how much CO2 has been mitigated or how personal global hectares have been reduced. To achieve a ‘wedge’, a person would reach a pre-determined level of mitigation which could be calculated online. This will be recognised by the issuing of a certificate stating the individual’s achievements and a pin-badge. A simpler approach could be employed to engage younger participants by marketing the scheme differently, such as under the title ‘Nature’s Little Helpers’ and using a child-focused activity tick-list and website. 25 Participants will encourage uptake of the scheme by friends and visitors, and individuals bringing many people into the scheme could be encouraged using zoo-based rewards such as free tickets and behind-the-scene tours. A high-profile promotion of the ‘Inspired by Nature’ initiative could be launched to zoo visitors and the general public through a 2008 WAZA scale campaign. 26
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