Unknown March 10, 2006

As many institutions and non-profits are doing these days, our zoo is thinking of distributing a list of environmentally responsible behaviors (ERBs) to our visitors, both on-grounds and via our website. There are a number of ERB lists out there, disseminated by various zoos, aquaria, environmental organizations, etc. But I want to do the homework first. I'd be interested in finding out the following things from other groups that have created lists of green behaviors for the public: *What criteria did you use to choose your recommended activities? *Do you limit your recommendations to areas where you have the most credibility (in the case of a zoo, for instance, it would be in wildlife conservation and maybe habitat protection)? *Is your list backed by good science, i.e. does it represent activities that will have the most impact on the environment? *Does it include only entry-level behaviors? *Is it targeted to a specific subset of your total audience (like educated mothers)? *Does anyone know of any good research that shows that such lists actually lead to real behavior changes?

Thanks, all.
Liz Forrestal

Interpretive Exhibits Coordinator
Saint Louis Zoo
One Government Drive St. Louis, MO 63110
314-781-0900, x316
forrestal@stlzoo.org