Statement on Climate Change

• Global warming represents an unprecedented threat to biodiversity and a valuable lesson on the interdependence of all living things. We must act now to preserve the planet's delicate ecosystems and the plants and animals that call them home.

  In recognizing this, Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo is proud to support StopGlobalWarming.org and take an active role in the Stop Global Warming Virtual March. Now more than ever before, each person, institution and government has a role to play in protecting the world's natural environment.

  The Stop Global Warming Virtual March is a non-political effort bringing Americans together to declare that global warming is here now and it's time to act.

Solar Panels

Check out Lincoln Park Zoo's first solar panels on the roof of the Main Barn in the Farm-in-the-Zoo Presented by John Deere! The 1 kWh photovoltaic array converts solar energy into electricity for use at the Farm and beyond.

You can monitor the panels' daily and yearly output online here.

Café Brauer CFLs

In honor of its centennial celebration on June 5th, Café Brauer was retrofitted with 212 energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) as well as a lighting timer. This new lighting system will result in annual energy savings of 40,700 kWh, the equivalent of removing 87,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atomosphere annually. That's the same as removing 7.2 passenger vehicles from the road for an entire year or taking 5.2 homes off the electric grid for one year! All old light bulbs were recycled via the zoo's new lamp recycling program.

New Hand Dryers

In 2007, the zoo's new Xlerator energy-efficient hand-dryers saved an estimated 6,088 kWh and the equivalent of 13,004 pounds of carbon dioxide.

Employee Transit Benefit Program

The zoo's employee transit benefit program provides pre-tax CTA Chicago Plus Cards or Metra tickets, encouraging transit use over driving. Results from a recent employee transportation survey indicate the strategy is wroking: one-third of respondents never drive to work. This is far better than the city average, as 50 percent of Chicagoans drive alone to work.

Low-VOC Paints and Cleaning Supplies

Lincoln Park Zoo paints and cleans with supplies low in polluting volatile organic compounds, keeping the air clean and animals healthy.

Visitor Transportation

You can help too! Lower your carbon footprint by biking, walking or taking mass transit to Lincoln Park Zoo. Bike racks are located at all entrances; use RTA's trip planner or Google Maps to get directions via bus or train.