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Can Chemical Recycling Solve The World's Plastic Problem?

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Pros and Cons of Bottled Water: Is is Good for Your Child?

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Pros and Cons of Bottled Water: Is is Good for Your Child?

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These days you can't go very far without seeing bottled water, whether you're scanning the aisles at your favorite supermarket, cheering on your kids at their latest sporting event, or perhaps packing for a trip to your favorite vacation destination. Our dental office in Erdenheim wants you and your family to stay healthy and hydrated, which may mean drinking more bottled water. There are some extremely excellent benefits to bottled H 2 0 but did you know there are also some cons too, especially for kids?

Pros of Bottled H20: The Good News!

Bottled water is an excellent solution for having delicious drinking water anytime, anywhere. It's portable and travels easily in briefcases, purses, gym bags, backpacks, and more. It's helpful when you're venturing to different places where potable drinking water may not be readily available. Sometimes, given your surroundings (i.e. camping or in a foreign country) it's easier to have a bottle of water with you. It's also able to be purchased conveniently.

In the event of a disaster or other emergency, having bottled water on hand is definitely helpful and it can be a lifesaver depending on the circumstances. Because bottled water does not expire, it's always a good idea to keep some stored away, just in case. Depending on the condition of your tap water, bottled H 2 0 also tends to taste better too. This usually due, in part, to the purification process certain types of bottle water must undergo during the preparation process.

Cons: What's Bad About Bottled Water?

Because there are so many additional necessary steps to ensure bottled water is safe to drink (purification, packaging, transporting, marketing, etc.), it can tend to be a bit more pricey than the water flowing from your tap.

Your children's dentist in Erdenheim wants you to know about the possible health risks associated with bottled water. Did you know commercially produced bottled water does not contain fluoride, while tap water does? Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that helps keep teeth strong and healthy. It's especially important that kids get enough fluoride for their growing teeth. Some plastic bottles also contain the chemical bisphenol A(BPA) which can seep into the water before you drink it. This risk increases significantly if your water is stored somewhere hot in direct sunlight.

Did you know that in some cases bottled water is just filtered tap water? It's really no different than what's coming out of your faucet! Some of the most popular brands of bottled water come from the same factories that produces soft drinks who simply bottle up that water. It's not from a special source or a spring, it's origins start in a factory. Sometimes it just makes more sense to fill your own water bottle from a source that you know is clean. It also helps cut down on waste created by the huge percentage of plastic bottles that end up in our nation's landfills.

We hope you learned a little bit about some of the benefits and some of the potential downfalls to drinking bottled H 2 0! Our Erdenheim dental office knows how important it is that you and your family stay healthy and hydrated. That's why we're here to help. If you have any questions about what we discussed here today, please don't hesitate to give us a call! We look forward to seeing you and your family at your next dental visit.

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Pros and Cons of Bottled Water.. - Chesheim Dental Associates

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These days you can't go very far without seeing bottled water, whether you're scanning the aisles at your favorite supermarket, cheering on your kids at

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Americans consumed 14.4 billion gallons of bottled water in 2019, up 3.6% from 2018, in what has been a steadily increasing trend since 2010. In 2016, bottled water outsold soda for the first time and has continued to do so every year since, making it the number one packaged beverage in the United States. 2020 revenue for bottled water was $61.326 million by June 15, and the overall market is expected to grow to $505.19 billion by 2028.

Globally, about 20,000 plastic bottles were bought every second in 2017, the majority of which contained drinking water. More than half of those bottles were not turned in for recycling, and of those recycled, only 7% were turned into new bottles.

In 2013, Concord, MA, became the first US city to ban single-serve plastic water bottles, citing environmental and waste concerns. Since then, many cities, colleges, entertainment venues, and national parks have followed suit, including San Francisco, the University of Vermont, the Detroit Zoo, and the Grand Canyon National Park.

Should Bottled Water Be Banned?

Pro 1

Banning bottled water would reduce waste and protect the environment.

About 70% of plastic water bottles bought in the United States were not recycled in 2015, which means the majority end up in landfills or in the oceans, harming the ecosystem and poisoning animals.

Almost all plastic water bottles are made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the raw materials for which are derived from crude oil and natural gas. The Pacific Institute found that producing enough plastic for the bottles of water consumed by Americans in 2006 took about 17 million barrels of oil. Since 2006, American consumption of bottled water has increased 65% from 8.3 billion gallons in 2006 to 13.7 billion gallons in 2017, increasing the need for more plastic water bottles and thus more oil and gas.

Between 2012 and 2016, a ban on plastic water bottles in 23 US National Parks prevented (per year) up to 2 million plastic water bottles being purchased and up to 111,743 pounds of PET being produced.

A nationwide ban on bottled water would lead to an estimated 68 billion fewer plastic water bottles being manufactured, purchased, used, and discarded.
Read More

Pro 2

Banning bottled water is good for your health.

Bottled water is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and requires weekly testing; tap water is more stringently regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency through multiple daily tests.

A study published in Environmental Science & Technology found that the chemical antimony (Sb) can leach from plastic PET bottles into the water within. After six months storage at room temperature antimony (Sb) concentrations increased on average 90% in 48 brands of water from 11 countries. Exposure to antimony (Sb) can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, higher blood cholesterol, and low blood sugar.

Banning bottled water would reduce the number of plastic bottles manufactured via a process that emits harmful chemicals. Studies indicate that communities living close to PET factories suffer from increased levels of chronic illness and birth defects. In Corpus Christi, TX, where the US' largest PET factory is located, birth defects are 84% higher than the state average.
Read More

Pro 3

Banning bottled water would save money, and public water fountains are convenient and plentiful.

Mathematicians at Penn State University estimate that spending $20 on a reusable water bottle can save the average American up to $1,236 a year. For a family of four that amounts to nearly $5,000.

In San Francisco, where single-use plastic water bottles are banned, 31 water fountains have been added to public areas with 20 more planned. New York City, where Mayor Bill DeBlasio banned single-use water bottles via executive order in Feb. 2020, has 51 water fountains, with another 500 planned by 2025. With public fountains easily available, people can refill reusable water bottles.
Read More

Pro 4

Banning bottled water would protect local water supplies.

Almost 64% of the water being bottled comes from municipal supplies, which can drain water sources relied upon by local communities.

In Michigan, the state allowed Nestlé to pump and bottle clean water from the state's reserves while local residents in Flint fought for access to clean water.

In Pakistan, groundwater levels were depleted in a village neighboring a Nestlé bottled water production plant, resulting in the local water supply turning to sludge.

According to Matthew Davis, PhD, Associate Professor of Earth Sciences at the University of New Hampshire, "during droughts, bottling plants could dry up wells and wetlands or deplete the streamflows in the immediate area."
Read More

Con 1

Banning bottled water removes a healthy choice and leads to increased consumption of unhealthy sugary drinks.

Increased consumption of zero-calorie bottled water in place of high-calorie juices and sodas has cut trillions of calories from American diets.

Michael C. Bellas, Chairman and CEO of the Beverage Marketing Corporation, says "Imagine a person cutting 161 hot dogs, 126 chocolate doughnuts or 87 cheeseburgers from their diet last year. That's the kind of difference we're talking about when we quantify the number of calories saved due to this widespread shift to bottled water."

In Aug. 2017, the National Park Service discontinued its policy that encouraged national parks to ban sales of plastic water bottles stating that, "The ban removed the healthiest beverage choice... while still allowing sales of bottled sweetened drinks."

The International Bottled Water Association noted, "research shows that if bottled water isn't available, 63 percent of people will choose soda or another sugared drink - not tap water."

In Spring 2013, the University of Vermont banned the sale of single use plastic water bottles on campus. The ban resulted in increased sales of higher calorie beverages in place of zero-calorie water; sales of low-calorie (10-50 calorie) beverages increased 12%, juices increased 11%, and sugar-sweetened beverages increased 10%.
Read More

Con 2

Other types of beverages have plastic containers that are more harmful than plastic water bottles, and bans don't necessarily reduce waste.

Plastic water bottles contain much less polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic than soft drink bottles that require a thicker plastic container due to the drinks' carbonation - 9.89 grams of PET v. 23.9 grams for a 16.9oz bottle.

A study by Quantis found that between 2007 and 2015, bottled water providers reduced the amount of material used in 8oz-2.5 gallon plastic water bottles by 42.8% - PET plastic is the most common material used in these bottles.

Another study by Quantis, commissioned by Nestlé Waters, found that the packaging and distribution of "sports drinks, enhanced waters and soda produce nearly 50% more carbon dioxide emissions per serving than bottled water."

Plastic water bottles make up 3.3% of all drink packaging in US landfills, which is less than both plastic carbonated soft drink containers (13.3%) and aluminum cans (7.9%).

A study on the University of Vermont's ban on selling single-use plastic water bottles found that total shipments of plastic bottles actually increased 20% as consumers increased their consumption of less healthy bottled beverages rather than switching to using reusable bottles and drinking from water fountains.
Read More

Con 3

Bottled water is a practical emergency water supply.

If tap water is not drinkable, then bottled water is a necessary replacement, making its availability essential to public health.

Ready.gov, the Department of Homeland Security's preparedness website on how to prepare for natural and man-made disasters, recommends everyone "buy commercially bottled water and store it in the sealed original container in cool, dark place."

In Apr. 2014, officials in Flint, MI, changed the city's water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint River. Flint River water is highly corrosive - it eroded water pipes delivering tap water to residents' homes resulting in iron and lead leaching into the water, poisoning those who drank and bathed in it. Between Jan. 2016 and Apr. 2018, the state distributed free 16oz bottles of water to residents for use instead of tap water - it was estimated that a family of three used 151 of these water bottles a day.
Read More

Con 4

Banning bottled water restricts consumers' access to a product they want, and negatively affects small businesses.

A survey by Harris Poll for the International Bottled Water Association found that 93% of Americans think "bottled water should be available wherever drinks are sold," with 31% saying that they only, or mostly only, drink bottled water.

Research by Kantor Panel Worldwide found that "40% of all water servings come in the form of bottled water."

As one blogger said, "everyone tells me that I'm wasting away money and harming the environment, but if it weren't for bottled water I honestly wouldn't drink any water at all... My personal choice is just not tap. I don't like it."

Daniel Kenn, owner of Sudbury Coffee Works in Sudbury, MA, where a plastic water bottle ban was enacted, said, "people want water, it's probably the biggest money maker in that cooler... almost every other town still allows plastic water bottle sales, which will put Sudbury Coffee Works at a competitive disadvantage when the ban takes effect."
Read More

Discussion Questions

1. Should single-use plastics, such as water bottles, be banned? Why or why not?

2. Should other single-use beverage bottles (soda, sports drinks, etc) be banned? Why or why not?

3. What other ways might we prevent plastic from ending up in the ocean? Explain your answer(s).

Take Action
1. Consider the argument that single-use plastic is a " serious climate change hazard."

2. Explore which cities and states have single-use plastic bag bans.

3. Evaluate the argument that bottled water bans harm the environment and public health.

4. Consider how you felt about the issue before reading this article. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? If so, how? List two to three ways. If your thoughts have not changed, list two to three ways your better understanding of the "other side of the issue" now helps you better argue your position.

5. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives.
Sources More Environmental Debates
Should the United States Continue Fracking? - Proponents say natural gas is a bridge fuel to 100% clean energy. Opponents say we need to immediately move away from all fossil fuels.

Should Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) Be Grown? - Proponents say GMO foods have been proven safe. Opponents say studies have not confirmed the safety of GMOs.

Can Alternative Energy Effectively Replace Fossil Fuels? - The pros and cons of the alternative and renewable energies debate include arguments for and against solar, wind, and nuclear powers.

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Bottled Water Bans - Pros & Cons - ProCon.org

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Proponents say bottled water bans protect the environment. Opponents say bans lead to increased consumption of unhealthy sugary drinks

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Plastic Pollution: How Humans are Turning the World into Plastic

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Plastic Pollution: How Humans are Turning the World into Plastic

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Zoos are great, right? You get to be up close and personal with some amazing animals that you'd pretty much never get to see in the wild. Clearly, zoos are a win for people. But when it comes to the animals, zoos might cause more harm than good. Should zoos exist?

TEACHERS: Guide your students to practice civil discourse about current topics and get practice writing CER (claim, evidence, reasoning) responses. Explore lesson supports.

How did zoos become a thing?
Humans have been capturing and displaying exotic animals for thousands of years. The earliest known collections date back to 3500 BCE in Egypt, where rulers kept hippos, elephants, baboons, and different species of large cats. Now back then, that didn't mean that your average Egyptian could go check any of that awesomeness out. These early zoos were really just a way for kings to flex on other kings. Modern zoos, where the public can come and watch animals exhibiting their natural behavior, didn't really become a thing until the early 1800s. The longest continuously operating zoo in the world is the Vienna Zoo, which has been going strong for more than 260 years.

What are the arguments in favor of having zoos?
Zoos may be great entertainment, but their big goal is to educate the public about wildlife and what we can do to protect them. Zoo animals are sort of like ambassadors for their counterparts in the wild. Zoos also contribute to scientific research. "Zoo" is short for zoological park, and zoology is the scientific study of animal biology and behavior. In addition, zoos work really hard to save animals that are threatened in the wild. Zoos can take at-risk animals, breed them in captivity, and then reintroduce them back into the wild.

What are the arguments for NOT having zoos?
Zoos have their problems. Not all zoos are created equal. Some are clean and well staffed, others aren't. There are some in the richest cities in the world, and there are some in conflict zones. What this means is that not all zoos have the resources to properly care for the animals they house. And for many critics, no amount of education or research justifies keeping animals captive. That captivity can be REALLY bad for both physical AND psychological health. And while zoos have been really helpful is saving endangered animals, it doesn't work out for certain species. For example, most large carnivores like lions and tigers that are bred in captivity die when released into the wild. It turns out that they haven't developed the natural behaviors they need when they're out on their own and have to fend for themselves.

SOURCES:
Do we need zoos? (The Atlantic)
https://www.theatlantic.com/news/archive/2016/06/harambe-zoo/485084/

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Are Zoos Good or Bad for Animals? | KQED

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Zoos are great, right? You get to be up close and personal with some amazing animals that you'd pretty much never get to see in the wild. Clearly, zoos are a win for people. But when it comes to the animals, zoos might cause more harm than good. Should zoos exist?

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Why it is Unacceptable to Confine Marine Mammals for Public Display

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/ CBS

Just off the coast of Pascagoula, Miss., the waters are still teeming with 10 species of sharks 15 days after an offshore rig blew up, killing 11 workers gushing oil out of an undersea well.

"We haven't had any indication that there's oil in this area," said Eric Hoffmayer, a marine biologist at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory.

Marine biologists are rushing to establish a baseline sample of the shark population by documenting their size and overall health before the oil hits, CBS News Special Contributor Jeff Corwin reports. The oil is a threat to more than 600 animal species.
CBSNews.com Special Section: Disaster in the Gulf
Gulf Oil Spill, by the Numbers
The biologists are especially worried because waters near Pascagoula are a fragile nursery for young sharks. This is a critical time for these sharks.

"We don't know what the implications are going to be with exposure to this oil, but in theory it could have a tremendous impact on the pups that are born this year and the populations that we have here in the north are critical to the Gulf of Mexico," Hoffmayer said.

Even if the oil doesn't get to the sharks, the sharks may get to the oil.

"These things could probably swim between 10, maybe 15, 20 miles a day," Hoffmayer said.

If a shark is capable of swimming 20 miles a day, it's capable of swimming where the slick is, so it could be in healthy waters one day and poison waters the next.

If sharks come in contact with oil, two things can happen. They can suffocate to death because they breathe water through their gills. Also, if the fish they hunt is contaminated by oil, they can be poisoned by eating the toxic chemicals in the crude.

Dolphins, on the other hand, are mammals and like human beings breathe air into their lungs to survive. If they come up to the surface of that water and there's oil floating on top, they can breathe in that oil into their lungs through their blow hole and can suffocate as well.
More Oil Spill Coverage
Also like the sharks, they're targeting fish that could be contaminated.

All species in the Gulf, either creatures living along the coastline like the birds or the animals in the water, are vulnerable to this very toxic oil spill.

Crews Taking Oil Containment Dome to Gulf
Oil Spill Burning Again as Weather Cooperates
Oil Spill Close to Shore, Satellite Images Show
Can Congress Raise BP's Oil Spill Liability?
Hidden Costs of Oil Revealed; Will it Matter?
1 of 3 Oil Well Leaks Capped; Dome Heads to Gulf
BP Still Can't Stop Leaks
Exxon-Valdez Revisited
Virtual Reality Deployed to Deal with Oil Spill
Oil Spill Sparks New Debate: To Drill or Not to Drill?
How Much Does BP Owe for Gulf Oil Spill?

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Oil Spill Pushes Biologists to Count Sharks

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Scientists Checking How Many Sharks Swimming in Gulf Now to Later Determine Spill's Effect on Species

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How do you feel about keeping animals in zoos? Read both sides of the argument to help you decide.

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The Whale Sanctuary Project | Back to Nature

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A new study, "Tooth Damage in Captive Orcas", is the first comprehensive, peer-reviewed, quantitative assessment of how extensive tooth damage is among orcas at entertainment facilities. It documents the effects of living in concrete tanks on their teeth, and consequently on their overall health and wellbeing.

It's already well-known that orcas in entertainment facilities wear down their teeth and break them by chewing on the concrete walls and on the gates that separate their pools. Eventually, these teeth have to be drilled out and then flushed daily to prevent infection.

For the new study, former SeaWorld trainers John Jett and Jeff Ventre and fellow researchers examined photos of the mouths of 29 orcas and scored the teeth for coronal wear, wear at or below the gum line, fractures, bore holes and missing teeth. Among their conclusions:

Dental damage was commonly observed across all captive whale cohorts, with damage beginning early in a whale's captive life.

Forty five percent of whales exhibited "moderate" mean mandibular coronal wear, and an additional 24 percent exhibited "major" to "extreme" wear.

Sixty-one percent of the orcas who were studied had endured a "modified pulpotomy," in which a hole is drilled into the tooth and the soft pulpy tissue inside is removed in an effort to prevent a deadly abscess forming in the jaw.

Taima (left) and Corky, showing damage to teeth and jaw. Photos from Orca Project.

When humans have a similar procedure (a root canal), the drilled-out hole is filled and capped. But for the orcas, it's kept open for the rest of their lives and requires daily flushing with chemicals to prevent infection.

"These fractured and worn-down teeth are indicators of serious, chronic psychological stress."
- Lori Marino

The whole procedure makes the teeth weaker and subject to further fracture in the stressful conditions of life in a concrete tank.

The various pathologies begin at a young age and are likely the direct result of fighting and biting on the hard surfaces of their captive environment as a result of stress from their confinement.

Ventre and Jett say they suspect that two well-known whales, Tilikum and Kasatka, who were featured in the movie Blackfish, died prematurely due, in part, to antibiotic resistant infections brought on by the need for constant medication.

Neuroscientist and President of the Whale Sanctuary Project Dr. Lori Marino says that just as dental pathology is associated with increased infection rate in humans and all other animals, it likely contributes to the infectious pathologies and shortened lifespan that's commonly seen in captive orcas. She adds:
These fractured and worn-down teeth are indicators of serious chronic psychological stress and pathology. So, above and beyond the physical problems associated with poor dentition, the condition of these orcas' teeth makes it clear that there is considerable psychological stress in orcas held in entertainment parks.
The complete study is available with subscription or for individual purchase at Science Direct.

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Dental Damage and Decay Among Orcas at Marine Parks - The Whale Sanctuary Project | Back to Nature

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A new study, "Tooth Damage in Captive Orcas", is the first comprehensive, peer-reviewed, quantitative assessment of how extensive tooth damage is among orcas at entertainment facilities.

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Orca Encounter (Full Show) - SeaWorld Orlando - April 8, 2021

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New York Times: One Thing You Can Do: Know Your Plastics 

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New York Times: One Thing You Can Do: Know Your Plastics 

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One Thing You Can Do: Know Your Plastics (Published 2019)

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Also this week, how it feels to stand on a melting glacier.

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Have you ever been to a zoo? There are lots of zoos. Some take better care of animals than others, but no zoo can make animals feel like they are at home.

Some people think it's OK to keep animals in zoos; others say that it's wrong to take animals from their homes in the wild.
A zoo supporter might say

"The zoo is a great place to learn about animals."

"If kids don't see animals up close like they do at the zoo, they won't like them, appreciate them or want to help them."

"Zoos help animals make babies (called "breeding") so they won't become extinct."

"Zoos take good care of animals. When animals get hurt or sick, an animal doctor called a vet makes them better straight away. In the wild, sick animals would die."

"Animals are safe in zoos. They won't starve or be killed by other animals."

A person who thinks it's not fair to keep animals in zoos might say

"Zoos don't teach us much about animals because the animals there don't act the way they would in the forest, jungle or ocean, where they belong. We can learn more about animals by reading books or watching wildlife programmes on TV."

"Zoos that help animals breed just keep the babies or sell them. If they cared about stopping animals from becoming extinct, they would set the babies free in the wild."

"Animals are not happy in zoos. They want to be free to walk, run, fly, climb, hunt and have families. They don't want their babies to be taken away from them and put in a different cage or sold to a different zoo. They get angry and frustrated because they cannot leave the zoo, which makes them do strange things like pace up and down, lick the bars of their cages, rock back and forth and bob their heads. Scientists know that these things mean that the animals are very unhappy."

"When a zoo doesn't want an animal anymore, the animal gets killed or sold to another zoo and might have to travel far away in a lorry or aeroplane."

Talk About: Topics to Chat About!
1. Would you rather live in a zoo or in your home with your family? Why?
2. What kinds of things do animals need to be happy? Do you think animals in zoos get all these things? Why or why not?
3. Think about animals you've seen at the zoo. Do you think there is somewhere else they would rather be? Something else they would rather be doing? Why or why not?

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Have you ever been to a zoo? There are lots of zoos. Some take better care of animals than others, but no zoo can make animals feel like they are at home. Some people think it's OK to keep animals in zoos; others say that it's wrong to take animals from their homes in the [...]

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How SeaWorld is changing since killer whale controversies

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A number of travel companies announced they will no longer sell SeaWorld tickets after the theme park chain came under fire for its use of orcas, also known as killer whales, in entertainment shows. The brand pledged to stop breeding orcas and now says that it's changing those shows to be less about tricks and dancing and more about education.

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Voting for this episode is now closed. Would you like to vote on the most recent poll?

I pulled three questions from my jar. Which question do you want to explore next week?

How do polar bears walk on ice and snow?

-Nathan, 3rd Grade

What do AM and PM stand for?

-Katya, 2nd Grade

What is the difference between a crocodile and an alligator?

-Uri, Kindergarten

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Watch the video to discover the answer to "Do sharks really want to eat people?" and don't forget to vote for next week's question!

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Whole Foods is making eco-friendly changes to their packaging

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Whole Foods is making eco-friendly changes to their packaging

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Whole Foods announced Monday it would take more steps to reduce the amount of plastic packaging found in stores nationwide.

The grocery chain said by July it would make three changes: switching to smaller plastic bags in the produce department, replacing plastic rotisserie chicken containers with bags that use less plastic, and getting rid of all plastic straws. Cafes and juice bars inside Whole Foods stores will now give customers a paper compostable straw with their drinks (unless a plastic one is requested to accommodate a disability).

Whole Foods estimates the changes will reduce the company's plastic packaging by 800,000 pounds per year, but not all environmentalists are satisfied.

"It's good to see Whole Foods acknowledging its role in the plastic pollution crisis and making some changes, but retailers must go much further than phasing out plastic straws and cutting down on the amount of plastic used in select packaging," said Greenpeace spokesperson David Pinsky in a statement.

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Trader Joe's made similar changes recently, announcing it had replaced plastic produce bags with biodegradable and compostable options and replaced styrofoam trays (that were used in produce packaging) with compostable trays.

Since China has drastically cut the amount of recycling waste it purchases for processing in recent years, environmentalists have been placing more emphasis on the "reduce" part of "reduce, reuse, recycle." Much of the world's plastic waste never ends up getting recycled, instead finding its way to landfills or the ocean. San Francisco's "Zero Waste" initiative leads the country in this regard - the city diverts more than 80 percent of its waste away from landfills.

In a press release, Whole Foods president A.C. Gallo seemed to indicate this wouldn't be the end of its efforts to reduce waste: "We recognize that single-use plastics are a concern for many of our customers, team members and suppliers, and we're proud of these packaging changes ... We will continue to look for additional opportunities to further reduce plastic across our stores."

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Whole Foods making eco-friendly changes to packaging

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Whole Foods announced Monday it would take more steps to reduce the amount of plastic...

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Real sanctuaries are safe, comfortable places for animals to live after they've been rescued from not-so-nice places like circuses or laboratories. People can sometimes visit these sanctuaries, which is an awesome way to learn about and see animals without supporting businesses that hurt them, like roadside zoos or wildlife parks. Roadside zoos and wildlife parks use animals to make money. It's confusing because they sometimes call themselves "sanctuaries" or "rescues" to bring in more customers, because they know that people don't want to visit roadside zoos, but they're being dishonest when they do that.

It's important not to get these horrible places confused with actual sanctuaries. But how can you tell the difference? It's easy! There are a few simple questions you can ask about a place to figure out whether it's helping or hurting animals the animals who live there.

You can find answers to these questions by browsing a facility's website and social media pages (your parents can help):

1. How are animals housed?

Real sanctuaries make sure that an animal's living space is as close to their natural habitat as possible. Animals should live with others of their own kind so they can have friends. It's mean to keep them all alone in small, dirty pens with concrete floors and nothing to do-and you should stay away from places like that.

2. What kinds of activities do the animals get to do?

The animals' living area should have lots of ways for them to play and enjoy themselves! For example, there should be a large structure for chimpanzees to climb on, water for bears to soak and splash in, and large fields for roaming and exploring. Animals need these things if they're going to be healthy, happy, and comfortable.

Animals should also live with others of the same species so they can communicate with each another easily and form relationships and groups. In many sanctuaries, the animals who already live there help teach the newcomers how to get back in touch with their natural instincts and enjoy life again.

3. How big is the facility?

Animals should be given enough space to explore, roam, climb, and forage. And a real sanctuary NEVER takes the animals out of the facility to show them off.

4. Are visitors allowed to touch or hold the animals?

True wild-animal sanctuaries (with big cats, bears, primates, or wolves) NEVER allow visitors to touch or hold the animals, even babies, and that includes taking photos with them. This would be scary for the animals and dangerous to the visitors, too!

5. Where did the animals come from?

The animals who live there probably came from a place where they were mistreated, so they have a sad and painful past. The staff will want to share each animal's story so that visitors can learn about the various places that hurt animals (like laboratories, circuses, and roadside zoos). Real sanctuaries provide animals with a permanent home for the rest of their life. They NEVER trade, borrow, or loan animals.

6. Does the facility breed animals?

Sanctuaries NEVER breed animals, meaning that they don't make any of the animals have babies. Places that do breed animals are using them to make money-that's not right, and that's not a sanctuary.

7. What is it like to visit a sanctuary?

Most sanctuaries only allow very limited visits. Usually a guide takes people on a small tour of the place and doesn't let them walk around by themselves.

8. Is it accredited?

True sanctuaries are accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS), a group that makes sure sanctuaries follow strict rules to protect the animals who live there, like the ones listed above.
*****
All living, feeling beings deserve a comfortable place to live where people aren't always staring at them. A true sanctuary puts the needs and wants of the animals first. So if you care about animals, NEVER visit a roadside zoo or a wildlife park, and explain to your friends and family why places like that are bad for animals!

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8 Ways to Tell a REAL Sanctuary From a Roadside Zoo | PETA Kids

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Roadside zoo or animal sanctuary? This list will explain the difference-so you can figure out if a place is hurting or helping animals.

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These photos of unexpected animal friendships will melt your heart.

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SeaWorld releases video of 2006 killer whale attack

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Which scientific research is more important, underwater or space?

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Which scientific research is more important, underwater or space?

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Giant Panda Cubs Give Hope to Endangered Species

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Giant Panda Cubs Give Hope to Endangered Species

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Plastic Pollution: How Humans are Turning the World into Plastic

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Plastic Pollution: How Humans are Turning the World into Plastic

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Learn about conservation efforts, the species we've lost, and the success stories of species that have been spared from extinction.

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California’s bag ban hurting the job market?

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California’s bag ban hurting the job market?

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California's bag ban hurting the job market? | Fox Business Video

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Some of the most widely used AZA statistics, updated annually.

Annual Survey Results

AZA members (Individual Professional category members and Primary Contacts of Conservation Partner, Commercial, Related Facility and Institution Members) may log in and download the results of the most recent AZA Annual Survey of Members.

Accreditation

237 accredited zoos and aquariums in 13 countries (Updated September 2023)

USA: 213 in 46 states and the District of Columbia

Canada: 7

Mexico: 4

Bahamas: 1

Bermuda: 1

Dominican Republic: 1

Argentina: 1

Colombia: 1

Spain: 1

Hong Kong: 1

Singapore: 2

South Korea: 2

United Arab Emirates: 2

15 accredited related facilities
Accreditation occurs every 5 years
Approximately 25 facilities undergo the accreditation process every 6 months

Types of Accredited Facilities

134 zoos

59 aquariums

9 both zoo and aquariums

16 safari and theme parks

15 science and nature centers

2 aviaries

2 butterfly houses

54% non-profit

35% public

11% for-profit

Animals in AZA-Accredited Facilities

Over 780,000 animals in the care of AZA-accredited zoo and aquarium professionals

Over 8,600 species

Over 800 Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered, and Extinct In The Wild species as categorized by the IUCN Red List

Species Survival Plan® (SSP) Programs

42 Taxon Advisory Groups (TAGs)

Nearly 500 Species Survival Plan Programs

AZA Reproductive Management Center

Supports SSP ® programs by monitoring the safety and efficacy of contraceptives used for all mammalian species and helping bring new contraceptive methods to the zoo, aquarium, and wildlife community

AZA Population Management Center

Population planning for 500 species for the next 100 years

Conservation

$252.2 million was spent on field conservation in 119 countries in 2022

232 species and subspecies that benefited are listed as Endangered or Threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act

$29 million was spent on AZA SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction species programs in 2022

AZA's Conservation Grants Fund

Over $8.7 million supporting over 470 conservation projects since 1991

Economy

In the most recent survey in 2018, AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums:

Contributed more than $22.5 billion to U.S. economy

Supported more than 198,000 full-time jobs in the U.S.

Served more than 200 million annual visitors worldwide (183 million in the U.S.)

Informal Science Education

Based on the Education Programs survey data from 2019,

AZA members provided teacher professional development, curriculum resources and free planning visits that reached more than 96,000 teachers

5.5 million individuals were reached through field trips, outreach programs and education resources targeted to K-12 students

124 facilities reported more than 1,200 education programs that include content about connecting to nature, reaching more than 33 million.

(Updated April 2023)

Over 785 zoo and aquarium professionals have completed in-person AZA courses from 2020-present

Almost 250 zoo and aquarium professionals participated in virtual AZA courses from 2021-2022

AZA offers 18 in-person courses that are team-taught by professionals in the field, designed to develop a variety of animal management, education, and leadership skills

AZA's Executive Leadership Development Program prepares the next generation of executive leaders to successfully advance the zoo and aquarium movement in the future. More than 80 leaders have completed the program since 2014, with 27 having been promoted to the role of Executive Director or CEO.

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Learn more about the Association for Zoos and Aquariums' members, educational programs, and conservation efforts, as well as the kinds of facilities we support.

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Go to 12:44 to listen to the part about sharks.

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Julie and her daughter, children's author and educator Emma Walton Hamilton, invite you into their library to read their favorite children's books. Every story comes to life with sound, music and activities. Authors, kids and other special guests chime in, too!

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It's killer fish versus stinky furballs! Science Vs. host Wendy Zukerman goes to bat for SHARKS, those ancient, blood-thirsty predators that make swimming at the beach just a little bit scary.... and Chompers host Rachel Ward represents SKUNKS, those smelly cuties we all wish we could pet!

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About this film

The Story of Bottled Water, released on March 22, 2010 (World Water Day), employs the Story of Stuff style to tell the story of manufactured demand-how you get Americans to buy more than half a billion bottles of water every week when it already flows virtually free from the tap. Over five minutes, the film explores the bottled water industry's attacks on tap water and its use of seductive, environmental-themed advertising to cover up the mountains of plastic waste it produces. The film concludes with a call for viewers to make a personal commitment to avoid bottled water and support public investment in clean, available tap water for all.

Share

Movie Resources

Credits

The Story of Bottled Water was co-created and released by The Story of Stuff Project and a coalition of partners, including Corporate Accountability International, Food & Water Watch, Polaris Institute, Pacific Institute and Environmental Working Group. The movie was produced by Free Range Studios.

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The Story of Bottled Water - Story of Stuff

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About this film The Story of Bottled Water, released on March 22, 2010 (World Water Day), employs the Story of Stuff style to tell the story of manufactured demand-how you get Americans to buy more than half a billion bottles of water every week when it already flows virtually free from the tap.

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Fabien Cousteau Leads "Aquanauts" in Record Breaking Undersea Expedition 

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Fabien Cousteau Leads "Aquanauts" in Record Breaking Undersea Expedition 

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Skip to main content

Animal Enrichment & Training

Animal training and enrichment go hand-in-hand here at the Saint Louis Zoo. Both have to do with an animal's behavior and how they act and react to different situations.

With animal enrichment, keepers create environments that provide a stimulating life for our animals, with opportunities to engage in natural behavior, be more active and have more control over their environment. Enrichment helps satisfy both the physical and psychological needs of animals and allows them to make choices.

Enriching an animal's environment comes in many forms, including altering the physical environment, modifying animal care, creating social groupings and increasing sensory stimulation. You may have seen our bears playing with boomer balls and our apes playing with plastic crates. These are examples of adding "furniture" for an animal to play with. Other examples of animals enrichment include:

Providing live and artificial plants for shade and barriers

Creating vertical dimensions using trees, ropes or rock work to increase and enhance living space

Using puzzle feeders that offer a challenging and time-consuming method of obtaining food

Housing a variety of compatible animals from the same habitat together

Applying scents (spices, perfumes, food, dung) around a habitat

Simulating or using real prey items in predator habitats to encourage stalk-and-chase behaviors

Animal training is another form of enrichment as well as an animal management technique.

The animals at the Saint Louis Zoo are trained through positive reinforcement. Through training animals voluntarily participate in doctors' visits, allow general housekeeping in their area and work with keepers while getting a pedicure or shower. Achieving these tasks through trained behaviors requires a devoted trainer, a well-prepared plan and a motivated "student." The motivation (or the reinforcement) can be food such as produce, bread or browse, or it can be tactile, such as brushing or scratching. Many animals are also motivated by the mental exercise and special attention during training sessions.

Training allows keepers and veterinarians to do their jobs more safely and easily. It also allows animals to receive the best care possible through their own willing involvement in the process. While training is often used to perform husbandry tasks, it is also enriching for the animals. It provides a challenge for them and offers them the opportunity to earn a reward that they find worthwhile. Training is rapidly becoming a vital tool in animal care.

Support Animal Enrichment

Guests can view the Zoo's animal enrichment "wish list" to learn more about what they can give to help animals at the Zoo.

Explore the list on Amazon or click below to view the PDF.

Animal Enrichment Wish List PDF

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The Saint Louis Zoo is dedicated to saving species and bringing people and wildlife together. Home to over 16,000 animals, many of which are endangered, entry is free every day for everyone, an important part of our commitment to people and animals - always.

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Smart, Social and Erratic in Captivity (Published 2013)

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A film, a book and a trainer’s death have renewed debate among scientists and animal advocates on the wisdom and morality of keeping killer whales in marine parks.

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Bloodthirsty, ruthless, killer: shark. For years people have feared and slaughtered sharks because of the bad rap they have received from Hollywood, but these beliefs are not justified.

Sharks are not vicious and are actually quite gentle. Of the more than 388 species of sharks only two (the Great White and the Tiger) have been known to attack man and then only because of mistaken identity. Wetsuits and surfboards used by surfers are mistaken by sharks as the thick, rubbery, skin of seals, which are their main diet. Once the shark bites the surfer, it almost immediately lets go because it does not taste like its favorite meal.

Not all big sharks have huge jaws full of teeth, as many people believe. Whale sharks, the largest fish in the world, are the most affable creatures you will encounter in our world's oceans. These sharks (that can weigh over three thousand pounds and grow up to five stories in length) have no teeth at all. Instead they have a mouth full of baleen that they use to filter plankton and tiny fish out the hundreds of gallons of sea water that passes through their monstrous mouths at one time. These peaceful giants have been known to let divers ride on their backs and don't show any aggression when approached.

People should treat sharks with respect, as they should all earth's creatures. The only way for future generations to learn to appreciate these magnificent creatures (instead of fear them) is through education. This can be accomplished through programs which highlight the good points about sharks, instead of the myths surrounding them. Another way is to make ocean research available to all people - everyone should have the chance to learn the truth about sharks. ^

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Sharks: Killers Or Just Misunderstood? | Teen Ink

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Bloodthirsty, ruthless, killer: shark. For years people have feared and slaughtered sharks because of the bad rap they have received from Hollywood, but these beliefs are not justified.Sharks are not vicious and are actually quite

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Toronto is banning plastic shopping bags in stores.

Starting in January 2013, you'll have to bring your own reusable bag to the store to cart your goods away.

More than 250 million bags end up in landfill every year, never breaking down into compost, according to a report by CBC News.

Plastic bags can also clog drainage systems and, when they are washed out to sea, can hurt fish and other marine animals.

Plastic bags are banned or restricted in about a quarter of the countries in the world, according to online encyclopedia Wikipedia.

Countries including Italy and South Africa have banned plastic bags. Many large cities have also banned them.

Toronto currently charges five cents per bag-for instance, for people who want a plastic bag to carry their groceries home.

The five-cent fee was put in place to discourage people from using the non-environmentally friendly product. Instead, people are encouraged to bring their own reusable bags to stores.

After Ireland put a fee on plastic bags in 2002, 90 per cent fewer bags were used. In 2010 Washington D.C. began charging five cents per plastic bag and that city's consumption of them went down from 22.5 million to three million in the first month.

In Toronto, the plastic bag fee has cut down on the number of plastic bags used by half, according to Metro newspaper.

A ban was not exactly what Toronto mayor Rob Ford had in mind when he brought up the subject at City Council on Wednesday. In fact, he wanted to end the five-cent fee on bags.

However, Councillor David Shiner proposed a very different motion. He suggested Toronto do away with plastic bags altogether.

That motion passed, 24 to 20. Starting on Jan. 1, 2013, retailers in Toronto will not be allowed to give out or sell any plastic shopping bags, including ones that claim to be "compostable or biodegradable."

According to Metro, "Ford appeared upset after the vote, blinking rapidly." Ford said council's decision didn't make any sense, and said he felt the motion will be overturned.

Council also voted to stop the five-cent fee for plastic bags, from July 1 until the ban takes effect. That means stores will be able to hand out plastic bags free in Toronto for six months.

Ford later told a news radio station that he would like to see Torontonians come down to City Hall to protest the ban. He said he thinks the ban is the dumbest thing Toronto council has ever done.

CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
By Jonathan Tilly

Writing/Discussion Prompt
What do you think should be done about plastic bags. Should they be free of charge, cost 5 cents, or be banned altogether. Make a jot list of reasons to support your answer.

Reading Prompt: Purpose
Use the information in today's article to write a letter to Toronto's City Counsel. OK, now go ahead... and send send it. Let them know what you think!

Primary, Junior, & Intermediate
Identify a variety of purposes for reading and choose reading materials appropriate for those purposes (OME, Reading: 1.2).

Grammar Feature: Verbs
Verbs are action words. Every sentence includes at least one verb. The verbs authors choose help readers understand the text. Underline the "key" verbs in today's story that help you understand it. How do these verbs affect your understanding?

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Mayor Ford is furious that Toronto's city council voted to ban all plastic bags in 2013. Read the facts and form your own opinion! Kids News

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Amitai Etzioni says there are bigger priorities than a new push for manned exploration in space

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When a kid in Malibu, California forced the rest of her classmates to miss out on a day at SeaWorld because she was misled by Blackfish, it made national news.

Ever since that girl forced the radical agenda of animal rights groups like PETA, The Dodo and others, they have claimed that children are rejecting accredited zoological organizations in favor of a debunked documentary.

However, we are learning this isn't the case, and in fact quite the opposite is happening nationwide!

Children of all ages are rejecting the radical agenda being shoved in their faces and asking for alternatives. Not only are they analyzing the source material the school is presenting to them, they're demanding they be allowed to think critically by hearing both sides of the issue, which is a victory for anyone interested in education.

Here we have a few stories of kids who are standing up to radical activists and demanding that they hear the full story and learn the truth:

Austin and Goliath in San Antonio, Texas

When one of Austin's teachers announced that they would be required to watch Blackfish in school, Austin stood up and demanded that they allow a SeaWorld trainer from SeaWorld San Antonio to come in afterwards to comment about the film.

The teacher responded, "We don't have time for that." Austin quickly countered, "Then we don't have time for Blackfish." The teacher agreed and the class was spared 80 minutes of out-of-context YouTube clips and propaganda.

Chris Brings Keiko to Texas

When Chris learned about the new book "Killing Keiko" by Mark Simmons, he went straight to his school's library. When he found out it wasn't available, but other radical animal rights books were, he kindly asked if "Killing Keiko" could be included. The librarians happily agreed and ordered the book. It is now available to all the students at his high school.

We have begun to learn that students in Florida, California, Idaho, Utah, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and more are all requesting that their libraries stock Killing Keiko.

Nikki vs. The Debate Team in New York, New York

When Nikki learned that her debate team would have to debate "Pro: SeaWorld should be closed" she had to fight other class members to represent the "Con" which was to defend SeaWorld in the debate. After days of research and preparation, she ended the debate convincing numerous audience members from the rival school that SeaWorld does incredible good in the world and should NOT be closed!

These 3 stories are just the tip of the iceberg. There has been so much interest in SeaWorld's real story that SeaWorld has been piloting an education program that would allow their trainers to virtually talk with any classroom about the amazing animal care their animals receive.

It is a new era and children around the country are demanding that they get to hear both sides and learn the truth!

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Kids Nationwide Reject the Blackfish Agenda

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Kids of all ages are rejecting the radical agenda being shoved in their faces and asking to be allowed to think critically about the issues.

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Sharks are scary-no doubt about it. Just ask anyone who's seen Jaws or other films that feature these sharp-toothed creatures.

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So many ways to reuse plastic bags - Bag the Ban

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Plastic bags can be reused again and again. Plastic bags aren’t just 100% recyclable — they’re reusable, too! More than 90% of Americans say they reuse their plastic bags at least once, for everything from lining trash cans to packing lunches and picking up after pets.1 In fact, Recyc-Quebec, a Cana…

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What It's Like to Spend a Month Under the Sea

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Live Science caught up with Fabien Cousteau, who spent a month in an undersea lab this past summer.

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Zoologists explain benefits of captivity

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Zoologists explain benefits of captivity

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Zoologist explains benefits of orcas captivity

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Plastic Bags are the Healthier Option – for Families and the Environment

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Plastic Bags are the Healthier Option – for Families and the Environment

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Plastic Bags are the Healthier Option – for Families and the Environment - Bag the Ban

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Recyclable plastic bags don’t pose the potential health risks associated with alternative bags. Hundreds of millions of petroleum based, polypropylene reusable bags are imported from China and other countries each year.1 These are, by far, the dominant type of reusable bags, and some have been found…

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When a great white shark is born, along with up to a dozen siblings, it immediately swims away from its mother. Born on the east and west coasts of North America, the south of Africa and southwest Australia, baby sharks are on their own right from the start. Their mother may see them only as prey. At birth the baby shark is already about 5 feet (1.5 meters) long; as it grows it may reach a length up to four times that. The pup (which is what a baby shark is called) will live its life at the top of the ocean’s food chain. But before it grows larger, the pup must avoid predators bigger than it is—including other great white sharks. Many baby sharks do not survive their first year. Young great white sharks eat fish (including other sharks) and rays. As they grow, the sharks’ favorite prey becomes sea mammals, especially sea lions and seals. Sharks count on the element of surprise as they hunt. When they see a seal at the surface of the water, sharks will often position themselves underneath the seal. Using their tails as propellers, they swim upward at a fast sprint, burst out of the water in a leap called a breach, and fall back into the water with the seal in their mouths. They can smell a single drop of blood from up to a third of a mile (0.53 kilometers) away. Sharks don’t chew their food; they rip off chunks of meat and swallow them whole. They can last a month or two without another big meal.

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Plastic Bag Recycling and Manufacturing Supports Thousands of Jobs

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Plastic Bag Recycling and Manufacturing Supports Thousands of Jobs

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Bag taxes hurt struggling families and take money away from working families.

Food prices continue to skyrocket, and people don't need their grocery bills increased with an extra tax.¹

The USDA reported that in 2018 there were 14.3 million U.S. households that were food insecure. The focus of our elected officials should be on solving the issue of food insecurity - not hurting the economy and making groceries more expensive by banning or taxing bags. ²

Banning and taxing plastic bags threatens American jobs.

Nationwide, thousands of hardworking men and women are employed and supported by the plastic bag manufacturing and recycling industry.³ At a time when many communities around the nation suffer from unemployment and a struggling economy, we can't afford to implement misguided policies that threaten jobs, economic recovery and American competitiveness. Bag bans and taxes also hurt local businesses and struggling families by adding another cost to every grocery trip.

Bans and taxes on plastic bags hurt America's working class and kill jobs.

Proposed ordinances to ban and tax plastic bags threaten nearly 30,000 American manufacturing and recycling jobs in 344 plants across the country.

Low-income workers have complained publicly³ that such policies are "discriminatory," especially for those who rely on public transportation to get to low-wage jobs, and there has even been a lawsuit⁴ filed saying a ban discriminates against the disabled.

American plastic bag manufacturers provide jobs with competitive salaries and benefits. In addition, manufacturers invest in innovative green technologies that are revolutionizing the plastics recycling industry.

Plastic bag bans and taxes threaten this industry and its workers and stymie technology investments that impact America's global competitiveness.

Plastic bag bans and taxes hurt small businesses.

A 2012 study by the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) found that banning plastic bags negatively impacted retail sales and employment in the ban area, shifting business to stores just outside the bag ban region.⁵
Connecticut's 2019 plastic bag tax resulted in shoppers crossing state lines to avoid the fee.⁶

Bag bans can lead to small business layoffs. In Los Angeles County, stores inside the ban area were forced to terminate staff, sometimes by as much as 10%. In contrast, stores outside the ban area reported increased employment by 2.4%.⁵

Following Seattle's ban on plastic bags, nearly 40% of surveyed store owners reported seeing their costs for carryout bags increase between 40% and 200%. Added costs directly impact a store's bottom line and cannot be taken lightly in this economy.⁷

Under threat of fines or penalties, bans and taxes on plastic bags force local businesses to comply with government regulations that mandate measuring, counting, reporting and maintaining records related to enforcement of these unnecessary laws.

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Plastic Bag Recycling and Manufacturing Supports Thousands of Jobs - Bag the Ban

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Bag taxes hurt struggling families and take money away from working families. Food prices continue to skyrocket, and people don't need their grocery bills increased with an extra tax.¹ The USDA reported that in 2018 there were 14.3 million U.S. households that were food insecure.

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Help Save our Oceans! : A Groundbreaking Undersea Expedition with Fabien Cousteau

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This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

The N.C. Zoo is one of only two state-operated zoos in the country. While more than 60 percent of its operating budget comes from the state, all of its conservation, research and education programs - and even the animals exhibited at the park - are purchased with private funds raised by the North Carolina Zoological Society.

Karen Brown with the Zoo Society says the "Adopt an Animal" program features a list of animals that can be "adopted" for a year.

Those who "adopt" an animal get a certificate, a photo of the animal and a fact sheet about the species.

Funds raised through the program benefit the Zoo's Animal Enrichment Program, which allows the Zoo to pay for additional training for zookeepers as well as purchase treats for the animals.

Some of the most popular animals for "adoption" are the African elephant, the polar bear, the zebra, the giraffe and the chimpanzee.

For more information about "adopting" zoo animals, visit nczoo.com or call the Zoo Society at (336) 879-7250.

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NC Zoo's 'adoption' program benefits animals, zookeeper training

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The N.C. Zoo is one of only two state-operated zoos in the country. While more than 60 percent of its operating budget comes from the state, all of its conservation, research and education programs - and even the animals exhibited at the park - are purchased with private funds raised by the North Carolina Zoological [...]

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What should you do with your leftover plastic grocery bags? Reuse or recycle them!

Plastic bags are 100% recyclable. Recycling is easy and makes a real difference. Since 2005, there has been a 54% increase in plastic film recycling.¹

Bring your plastic bags, sacks, and wraps to participating retail stores and drop them into plastic bag recycling bins. From there, the bags and wraps are picked up for recycling.
Don't forget to include bread bags, dry cleaning bags, newspaper bags, product overwrap (plastic wrap around packages of toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, etc.), or any plastic film marked with a #2 HDPE or #4 LDPE recycling sign. All of these can be included with your plastic bags in the store recycling bin!

Your recycled plastic bags may get a new life as eco-friendly raw material for playgrounds, construction materials, and new plastic bags.

Plastic bag recycling supports American manufacturing jobs. In 2017, 81% of plastic retail bags and film returned for recycling were reclaimed by U.S. and Canadian recyclers.¹

More Recycling, "2017 National Post-Consumer Plastic Bag & Film Recycling Report," July 2019.

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Plastic Bags are 100% Recyclable - Bag the Ban

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What should you do with your leftover plastic grocery bags? Reuse or recycle them! Plastic bags are 100% recyclable. Recycling is easy and makes a real difference. Since 2005, there has been a 54% increase in plastic film recycling.¹ Bring your plastic bags, sacks, and wraps to participating retail stores and drop them into plastic [...]

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Dive into some of our planet's most amazing water features!

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Smithsonian's National Zoo: We Save Species

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Shark Attacks Expected to Rise This Summer

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Shark Attacks Expected to Rise This Summer

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Shark Attacks Expected to Rise This Summer

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More shark attacks are predicted this summer, but there are strategies to avoiding becoming shark bait.

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Have you ever went to a zoo and saw a polar bear in a small cage, a small swimming pool to where it can't even go fully underwater, and the fur of the creature wasn't even white anymore? If you think this is okay, then you are not realizing that these animals that they hold in zoos are becoming depressed because they don't have enough space to live a life they deserve. Many people think zoos are a learning opportunity, I agree in a way but there are many different opportunities that you can take instead of viewing animals through a small cage because these animals aren't even acting like themselves. They are being forced to live in such a small environment, some backgrounds are different from others, most are taken from their mothers as babies and others were injured and have to be looked after for the rest of their life because they can't live fully on their own. I agree to the extent that zoos are good assistance to injured animals but they shouldn't be forced into such a small cage, they should be put in sanctuaries that has millions and millions of acres of land where they can roam free as they are being looked after at the same time. Many people do not see this different for what is right or wrong, they look past all of the depressed animals behind bars, because they are too excited to think from the animal's point of view because they have never seen such a mysterious creature and they are blindsided. Zoos are prisons for animals. Do we go to a prison just to view the inmates or would that be weird? Exactly. That is the same concept I am making at this point. You wouldn't view your own species behind bars, then why should you force other species into cages just so that you can see them behind bars for your own use. Its not benefitting all of the animals, some in a way but there are better options than putting animals in zoos.

There are many reasons why animals shouldn't be placed in zoos, according to the article 5 Reasons You Should Boycott the Zoo by Abigail Geer, makes great points on why people should help boycott zoos. The first reason is that zoos cannot provide enough space for each animal. In the wild, these animals have a tremendous amount of space that is never ending. In zoos they are placed on an acre or two per animal. That isn't enough for a wild animal to live on. Second, animals suffer from abnormal behaviors. People come to zoos hoping to experience the whole package of what it feels like being in a different country as if watching these animals in their natural habitat. In reality, most of the animals you see behind the fences are depressed because they are kept in captivity. Zoos do provide the animals with anti-depressants, but is this what people think is right? If this hasn't convinced you then this next reason that Geer states will. Surplus animals are killed. Most zoos state that they are helping animals that are becoming extinct in the wild so they are trying to help reproduce species. Truth is that all the extra animals that are unwanted because zoos were overbreeding, they are killed because they don't have enough space to take care of these animals. Another reason why zoos should be banned is because most animals that are presented at the zoo were once taken from their mother at a small age. They never lived in the wild, so they are not even a good representation of how that animal should act because they didn't grow up in a free environment because they were forced to be in a zoo. So technically the animals that take up the cages at zoos they don't serve an educational purpose because that is not how the animal acts when they are in their actual environment. The fifth reason that will convince you to boycott zoos is that zoos don't serve conservation. Zoos try o hard to make the public believe that when a baby is born that when it grows old it will be released into the wild, but should we really believe them? The answer is no. The baby never knows how to live on its own so they could never just let the baby go on its own even when it does get older. It would know how to take care of itself because zoos do all of it for them, they bring them food and water. In the wild they would have to go hunt for their own food which they would end up starving and dying because they don't know how to do so.

Most people who are pro zoos are blindsided by the excitement of zoos. They never seen a wild creature like this before so they looked passed the sadness in the animal's eyes. An article on the PETA website The reality of Zoos written by Michelle Carr, is an article that supports the reason why zoos are bad for all animals. Carr states that, "I thought being able to see them in person would be neat. But once I saw them "up close and personal," I realized that the animals were miserable. It instantly became very clear to me that the animals imprisoned in zoos are sad and don't want to be kept in artificial environments, have people gawk at them, listen to children who bang on the windows of their enclosures, or have cameras flashing in their faces. To put it simply, zoos are imprisoning animals who want to be free." In this statement, it instantly made me feel guilty from going to zoos when I was little. People need to face up to reality because I know for a fact that everyone has had an experience like Michelle Carr and they need to live up to it and help close zoos down because they are just torturing these animals for their own beneficial use. If everyone became aware of these conditions, then they would proudly help shut them down. Haven't you realized that when you go to zoos you stand there for ten to fifteen minute but they don't move a bit? It's because they don't want to be there. They will never be with their blood family which the animals depend on for their whole life in the wild. They will never know the true meaning of life as if they were in the wild, they will be forced to live in the zoo for the rest of their life with sadness and boredom.

The world needs to come to realize that zoos are bad for animals, PETA explains to us that the animals are on anti-depressants, once an animal outlives their usefulness they are killed, animals are instantly killed if they escape their cages, they transport animals from other countries to satisfy the human eye, surplus animals are mistreated and killed, they will sell animals to circuses or to livestock auctions, they don't have the appropriate veterinarian service they need, and some animals are starved to death. If any one thinks that this is okay in anyway they definitely need to see the difference of zoos and animals in their natural habitat. We need to take action and educate the public before its too late and before they bring in any other animals into their exhibits where they will never be able to step free into the wild ever again. Last Chance for Animals explains to us, "Animals in zoos are forced to live in artificial, stressful, and downright boring conditions. Removed from their natural habitats and social structures, they are confined to small, restrictive environments that deprive them of mental and physical stimulation. While zoos claim to provide conservation, education, and entertainment, their primary goal is to sustain public support in order to increase profits." This is inhumane, there is nothing right about this situation.

There are many problems with zoos because once an animal gets brought in, it can never go out into the wild on their own ever again. Zoos claim they are saving the lives of these animals but they're not, they are torturing them because they don't have a big enough cage to run around and live in a natural way. Zoos take in animals to make money. If we shut down zoos there will be nowhere for these animals to go, unless sanctuaries take them in. Sanctuaries are a good resource when and if zoos go out of business because they are non profit and they promise to take care of the animals till the end of their life. They rescue these animals from abuse and rehabilitate these animals so that they can live a long happy life. Sanctuaries are inspected and they have to meet the guidelines of a true sanctuary according to Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. So this proves that if zoos are forced to shut down they will have somewhere to go, they will have an enormous area to roam free and be taken care because zoos took them from their natural habitat before and can no longer be let back into the wild on their own so they need a back up environment where they wont be in small cages and will not be displayed to the public for others entertainment. A National Geographic article Are Wildlife Sanctuaries Good for Animals? Written by Rachel Shea states that sanctuaries don't have a sign saying to come in to view our tigers, they don't want to make money, they are just trying to protect these animals so they can have an enjoyable life. Zoo do not try at all to protect these animals, all they want to do is make money off of these animals. We need to find a way to convince the public that there are other ways to view these animals whether it is in person or on television. We do not need to keep these animals hostage so we can satisfy our own entertainment.

Yes, some animals are truly saved by joining zoos because they are in bad shape but they don't deserve to be in a small cage getting viewed by the public as they are making their way to recovery. They deserve to be in sanctuary so that they are protected by the ones who actually want to help and not make money off of them, instead they are protect their rights as animals and doing anything in their power to make sure they are living a life they deserve.

Here are some ways that you could learn about exotic animals without going to zoos, you watch documentaries or travel around the world volunteering at animal sanctuaries. You are not invading their space, you are helping them but not to the point to where they are depressed. They have a lot of open space, they are able to run freely, but they still receive the help they need. If you watch a documentary you are watching them from a screen in their natural habitat without taking them from their home, you see how they truly act and you'll get a more valuable experience from watching them from a TV because they are happy and energize instead of in a corner suffering because they are not with their family living the life they truly deserve.

Animals deserve to live free. They do not deserve to live in a small cage their whole life. No one on earth could stand being in a cage everyday of their life, being viewed by others to satisfy others. They don't get to roam free anymore. Their freedom is taken away from them at such a young age, so young they never experienced the true life as a regular wild animal. So lets put a stop to this and boycott Zoos.

Work Cited

Geer, Abigail. "5 Reasons You Should Boycott the Zoo." 5 Reasons You Should Boycott The Zoo | Care2 Causes. Care 2, 14 Jan. 2014. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.

Carr, Michelle. "The Reality of Zoos." PETA. PETA, 21 Oct. 2013. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.

Editors of the Site. "Are Wildlife Sanctuaries Good for Animals?" National Geographic. National Geographic Society, n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.

Shea, Rachel. "Are Wildlife Sanctuaries Good for Animals?" National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 20 Mar. 2014. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.

User, Super. "Last Chance for Animals - Zoos." Last Chance for Animals - Zoos. LCA, n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.

@peta. "13 Times Zoos Were Bad for Animals." PETA. PETA, n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.

Healy, Patrick. "Giraffes, Towering and Otherworldly, Are 'Vulnerable' to Extinction." The New York Times. The New York Times, 08 Dec. 2016. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.

"Zoos." Animal Cruelty - Zoos. Vegan Peace, 2015. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.

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Have you ever went to a zoo and saw a polar bear in a small cage, a small swimming pool to where it can't even go fully underwater, and the fur of the creature wasn't even white anymore? If you think...

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Plastic bags are the most environmentally friendly option at the checkout. They're 100% recyclable and highly reused. Studies show that alternatives which seem "greener" actually place a greater burden on the environment because they require more natural resources to produce and transport, they emit more carbon throughout their lifecycles and they need more energy to recycle - if they're recyclable at all. On top of that, studies show bag bans and taxes haven't meaningfully reduced overall litter or waste anywhere they've been tried. ¹

ENERGY SAVINGS: Plastic bags require 70% less energy to manufacture and consume 96% less water than what's used to make paper bags.

DISPOSAL ADVANTAGES: Once disposed, reusable bags take up to 9.3% more space than plastic bags in landfills.

REUSABLE COTTON BAGS AREN'T REUSED ENOUGH: Standard reusable cotton grocery bags must be reused at least 131 times "to ensure that they have lower global warming potential than" a plastic bag used only once.² In fact, one study found that organic cotton bags need to be reused 20,000 times to have the same environment performance of a plastic bag reused once.³

NO OIL INVOLVED: American-made plastic bags are produced from byproducts of natural gas, not oil.⁴

The results are in: Bag bans and taxes don't help to reduce waste, litter, or marine debris.
Ban and tax ordinances have never been successful at meaningfully reducing litter, waste or marine debris. Not anywhere. What they have been shown to do is heap unfair costs on low and fixed-income families and add more red tape to local businesses. The environment doesn't benefit, and neither do people.

LANDFILL WASTE INCREASES: According to the EPA, "plastic bags and sacks" account for 0.3% of municipal solid waste.⁵ Plastic retail bags are a fraction of this number. Without plastic grocery bags, people purchase replacement bags - often made of thicker, heavier plastic - and then send those bags to the landfill instead.⁶
In Austin, landfill waste increased after a bag ban because shoppers used and disposed of thicker plastic reusable bags in the place of standard plastic grocery bags.⁷

LITTLE TO NO IMPACT ON OVERALL LITTER: Plastic retail bags comprise a very small portion of litter - typically less than 1% - making bans and taxes ineffective when it comes to reducing overall litter.⁸

In Washington, D.C., a bag tax hasn't improved litter or reduced bag use at all.⁹ According to a Washington Post investigation, D.C. collected roughly $10 million since 2010 without making any environmental progress. And the tax revenue keeps growing every year.¹⁰

A year after California implemented a statewide ban on plastic bags in 2016, an Ocean Conservancy survey showed a negligible 0.2% decrease in plastic bag litter as a percentage of overall litter.¹¹

UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES:

California's plastic bag ban led to an increase in carbon emissions due to a surge in trash bag purchases (which use more plastic than traditional retail bags) as well as an increase in paper bag usage.¹²

In Thurston County, Washington, a bag ban resulted in double the use of more resource-intensive paper bags.¹³

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Plastic Bags and the Environment - Bag the Ban

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Plastic bags are the most environmentally friendly option at the checkout. They're 100% recyclable and highly reused. Studies show that alternatives which seem "greener" actually place a greater burden on the environment because they require more natural resources to produce and transport, they emit more carbon throughout their lifecycles and they need more energy to [...]