Local Action

Our planet offers many valuable and sustainable ways to collect energy to power our day-to-day activities. The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium’s goal is to collect 100 percent of our energy needs using solar and wind power at our admissions area rather than using traditional energy from the grid. This switch will reduce energy costs and limit our environmental impact.

Take a look around the parking lot on your next visit and see the power of the planet’s renewable energy at work here at the Zoo:

Windspire

• Collects the wind energy and uses it to power the Zoo’s admission gates.
• Is eco-friendlier than the other wind turbines because it rotates at a lower speed, making it safer for birds.
• Was made from recycled materials.
• Was built in the United States, so less fossil fuels were used to transport it to the Zoo.

Luminescent solar poles

• Use light-emitting diode, or LED, bulbs. These bulbs are up to 70% more efficient than traditional lampposts.
• Collects energy from the sun throughout the day and uses it to power the light at night, making them one of the greenest lighting options.
• Require less maintenance than other lighting options, reducing the amount of materials required for their continued operation.

Car charging station

• Supports greener vehicles that offer improved fuel economy and do not emit tailpipe emissions.
• Reduced energy dependence on other countries and the amount of energy spent shipping fuel long distances, as the electric used is generated domestically.
• Increases the number of places where an electric car owner can charge his or her car, enabling more people to utilize this green technology.

Solar Panels

• Solar panels collect energy from the sun and convert it to DC electricity. An inverter converts the DC electricity to AC electricity, making it suitable for the grid. The AC electricity produced is used to power the system, then the rest is pushed out onto the grid. The electricity is used to power the admissions area. The renewable energy that our solar panel system creates goes out to the power grid.

What You Can Do: Try Solar Products

• By using solar panels at home, you can create clean, green energy and cut your electricity bills in the long run. You can also purchase solar products such as solar cell phone chargers, outdoor solar lighting, and wristwatches that all utilize solar panels to charge their batteries.