Welcome to Green Lifestyles!

Electronic Waste Recycling Drive

As you upgrade to newer and faster electronic devices, remember you can recycle your old e-waste at the Zoo’s Community Recycling Station.  Electronics accepted will include computers, copiers, printer, faxes, cell phones, DVD/VCR players, stereo systems, etc. 

Green Tips

Save Money by Harvesting Rainwater

Rain is a valuable natural resource essential to all life and the best part about it is it is FREE!  By harvesting rainwater, you contribute to conserving our finite water resources, reduce pollutants caused by storm water runoff from entering our waterways and save a few dollars on your monthly utility bill.  Once you realinze the volume of water available in a single rainfall, capturing this precious element for free just seems sensible.

A rainstorm producing a quarter inch of rain falling on a 1,200 square foot roof will yield 180 gallons of rainwater runoff.  Just about any outdoor task requiring water, including washing the car is an excellent use of rainwater.  In terms of quality, rain weighs in as a far superior water source compared to that of its treated counterpart tap water making it the preferred option for landscapes.

Rain barrels have recently emerged as a cost effective and practical approach for most homeowners.  Although they can vary in size and shape, a typical rain barrel holds approximately 55 gallons and stands three feet high and can be installed in tandem.  Cisterns are considered a larger version of a rain barrel and are not usually repurposed, but rather created for the exact function of holding a large volume of liquid.  they can be found above or below ground holding anywhere from 300 gallons upwards to tens of thousands of gallons, usually requiring a pump system for dispensing.  Due to their size and dispensing technology, cisterns can be connected to household plumbing, offering the homeowner an amazing savings on their utilities.  Rain chains and rain gardens (found at most hardward stores) are also two low-mainenance, cost effective and aesthetically pleasing ways to capture rainwater. 

Each rainfall freely provides an abundance of such a valuable natural resource; it really is no wonder a renewed interest in this age old practice has emerged in recent years.  Harvested rainwater is not recommended for the use of drinking water without proper filtration methods.

Thanks to a grant from PNC Foundation, the Zoo recently installed eight cisterns capable of holding over 4,000 gallons of rainwater to be used for irrigation around property.