Taronga leads the way in renewable energy

Taronga Conservation Society has announced that Taronga Zoo and Taronga Western Plains Zoo have become the first zoos in NSW to be powered by 100% renewable electricity.

The switch means the equipment used by the Wildlife Hospitals teams to treat injured wildlife, the pump that reuses water for seal enrichment and the heat lamps that primates like to bask in are all powered by renewable electricity. Clean energy is a step towards helping secure a future for all animals.

This switch to renewable energy will prevent approximately 7000 tonnes of CO₂ from being released into the atmosphere. This is the weight equivalent of about 300 humpback whales.

Cameron Kerr, Taronga Conservation Society Australia CEO, said climate change is a key threat to Australia’s unique flora and fauna, and wildlife across the globe.

“As a conservation organisation, we are dedicated to safeguarding our planet and securing a future for wildlife. Intrinsic within that is a commitment to act with leadership in environmental sustainability and climate change action, and this is a significant milestone in our sustainability journey,” Kerr said.

Taronga’s target was to be 100% renewable before 2030, a target which was achieved seven years earlier.

By switching to Red Energy as its electricity provider, Taronga is supporting clean electricity generation from a solar farm that is local, on Wiradjuri Country near Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo. This directly supports the transition to clean energy in NSW.

Rachel Friend, Red Energy’s General Manager, Marketing & Sales, said Red Energy has supported Taronga since 2019 as a Principal Partner and sponsor of the Taronga Seals for the Wild Presentation. The company hopes that this partnership will encourage families to think about their own choices and protecting the environment.

“Taronga is an example of how organisations and businesses can live their values, contributing to our economic strength and protecting the environment as they do it,” Friend added.

This step is the latest action in Taronga’s sustainability journey. Taronga has installed over 500 kW of solar panels across both zoos and conducted energy audits with the view to implement further efficiencies and savings. The company has also implemented policies for low-emissions buildings, increased its usage of donated produce and agricultural by-products for animal feed and reduced landfill emissions through recycling.

Bridget Corcoran, Taronga Conservation Society’s Sustainability Manager, said environmental leadership is one of the six priorities in Taronga’s strategic plan.

“Switching to renewable electricity or GreenPower is one of the most impactful ways that businesses and individuals can contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and therefore help to address the climate crisis. I’m so proud that we’ve been able to model this at Taronga and I hope that we can encourage others to make a change for the wild,” Corcoran added.

In addition to these sustainability commitments, Taronga is delivering projects to protect climate-affected wildlife, including two new platypus facilities at Sydney and Dubbo and two wildlife hospitals that will allow Taronga’s veterinary team to rescue, rehabilitate and understand more about these animals. For more information about Taronga’s sustainability journey, head to taronga.org.au.

Originally published here.