Colchester Zoo is dedicated to reducing its environmental footprint by instigating sustainable initiatives around the zoo grounds. In May 2008, Colchester Zoo announced that it was running its Green Award scheme for the second year, following great success in 2007. The aim of such awards was to highlight and promote the hard work of schools across the region and encourage others to get involved for the first time.

The 2008 Green Award scheme featured a new and revised application procedure for both children and adults who are trying to be ‘green’ in their everyday lives or who have developed green initiatives at home or at school to help reduce their environmental footprint. There are so many ways in which we can be ‘greener’! Here at Colchester Zoo we are trying to reduce our environmental footprint by recycling mobile phones and ink cartridges, reducing our waste and energy usage and reusing our paper and zoo maps.

Colchester Zoo was incredibly impressed with the effort put in by Notley Green Primary School. Each child produced extensive projects based on the green initiatives that they conduct at home. These ranged from energy saving to water conservation devices. The submitted projects came in all formats from PowerPoint presentations on cd to collages made of photos and recycled materials. One student even produced an eco-friendly quiz and word search related to green issues!

As an award for their dedication and hard work, the Notley Green class was awarded a free visit to Colchester Zoo, which took place on the 30th of June. It is clear that they spent a great deal of time completing their work and we would also like to congratulate them on their innovative green efforts to help reduce their environmental footprints.