Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Joins Community Recycling Program, Paper Retriever®,

By Gina Stiles

Jacksonville, FL - The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens announces that it has joined the community recycling program, Paper Retriever®, with the addition of two bins on location at the Zoo. Paper Retriever® is a no-cost program that allows organizations to host bins to collect paper which is then recycled. The program is a fundraiser for participating organizations as the proceeds from the bins benefit the host.

“Paper Retriever® supports the Zoo’s mission to instill passion in the next generation as responsible stewards of the future,” said Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ Executive Director Tony Vecchio. “And it’s just one of our efforts to become more “green” as an institution while encouraging others to do the same.”

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens visitors and supporters are invited to bring newspapers, magazines, mail, office paper, glossy paper and any other kind of white paper to the Zoo and place it in the bins for recycling. The two distinctive yellow and green bins labeled “Paper Retriever® Recycling” are conveniently located in the parking lot close to the picnic grove. Cardboard, paper-board (such as cereal boxes) plastic bags or trash are not allowed.

“The Zoo’s program is one of many Jacksonville partnerships that reinforce Paper Retriever's commitment to sustainability and the environment,” said Paper Retriever® Regional Manager Reginald Brown. “We are excited the Zoo has made this commitment.”

This new program will provide another way for residents that live or work close to the Zoo and all others who are visiting the Zoo to participate in preserving our environment. And because the Zoo will be paid for the paper collected, they will be making a meaningful contribution to a non-profit organization that is dedicated to conservation – a win-win for everyone.

Paper Retriever® is a national program that recently became available in Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Zoo’s Green Team Committee is heading up the recycling efforts. The group is led by Chair Bob Chabot, who is also the director of horticulture and facilities for Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.

For more information on the Zoo’s “green” initiatives visit the Zoo’s Web site at www.jacksonvillezoo.org/GreenTeam.

For over 90 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring environment. From the beginning in 1914, with an animal collection that consisted of only one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has become one of the top zoos in the nation, now with more than 1,400 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species. The Zoo is a non-profit organization and an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. It is open year-round, seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located on Jacksonville’s north side at 370 Zoo Parkway, one-half mile east from I-95. The Zoo is open until 6 p.m. on weekends and holidays from March to Labor Day. For more information, go to jacksonvillezoo.org.

To view Jacksonville Zoo's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to:  http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-97-Jacksonville_Zoo_and_Gardens