I recently went to the Louisville Zoo and before going I read about something called Zoo Poopy Doo going on at the zoo. So, what exactly is Zoo Poopy Doo? It is the end result of recycling the animal waste into a fantastic compost mixture. This Zoo Poopy Doo is used on the grounds of the zoo as well as sold bi-annually to the public. From the Louisville Zoo's Trunkline magazine: "All proceeds from Zoo Poopy Doo sales go to support the Zoo. By recycling these animal wastes into a useful compost mixture, the Louisville Zoo prevents 50,000 tons of manure from being dumped into a landfill every year". So even animals can help being Green without realizing the fact.
Elephants can produce up to 200 pounds of waste droppings a day. With that, consider all of the other large animals in a zoo. The Louisville Zoo's hoof stock animals produce close to 1 million pounds of waste each year. They realized they could turn this into an opportunity. Zoo Poopy Doo is used on the zoo's potted plants, exotic vegetation and in the Gorilla Forest. Zoo Poopy Doo "improves the aeration of the soil, reduces compaction and adds important micronutrients that do not normally come with most fertilizers".
The Louisville Zoo has been doing this since 1990. Hopefully, other zoos can run with the same idea to help themselves and their community. Check the Louisville Zoo website for news on dates and times for the next Zoo Poopy Doo sale.
