GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — John Ball Zoo has announced it will be going plastic-free for the start of its 2020 season.
The zoo says it will no longer have plastic beverage bottles which furthers its mission to be actively engaged in the conservation of wildlife and the natural environment.
Plastic drink bottles will be replaced with canned beverages or fountain drinks. Plastic water bottles will be replaced with Boxed Water is Better.
While plastic bottles are "recyclable", few are actually recycled, according to experts. It's estimated that seven out of ten plastic water bottles get dumped into landfills or left as litter.
“We hope this partnership and the zoo's sustainability efforts will create ripple effects within our community," said Daryn Kuipers CEO of Boxed Water.
The move comes two years after the zoo switched from plastic to compostable paper straws.
“John Ball Zoo has steadily been eliminating the use of single use plastics over the past several years,” said Peter D’Arienzo, the Zoo’s Chief Executive Officer.
The zoo anticipates this will save 37,134 bottles in just one year.
