The expert commission of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) distinguished the excellent results in all areas of sustainability achieved by Loro Parque. This award analyses and evaluates the different strategies that the zoos that are part of WAZA carry out to achieve and maintain energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. This makes the award a recognition of great importance because it places the Canarian zoo at the forefront of the world in its sector, in the actions of commitment to care and respect for the planet’s resources.
The award was presented to Loro Parque at the 78th edition of the annual WAZA congress held in San Diego (USA) from 8 to 12 October. The mission of the powerful international organisation WAZA is to provide leadership and support to zoos, aquariums and partner organisations around the world in animal care and welfare, biodiversity conservation, environmental education and global sustainability.
An ongoing commitment to the planet
Loro Parque generates its own clean electricity through its photovoltaic and wind power plants at zero CO2 cost and uses highly energy efficient equipment generating, in total, 20.8 MW of green energy.
Loro Parque is one of the pioneering companies in the Canary Islands in the use of renewable energies. The zoo consumes 100% sustainable energy, with non-polluting energy installations both inside and outside the zoo.
Furthermore, years ago the company eliminated the use of single-use plastics in its activity, in addition to its purchasing and acquisition policy, which is based on the choice of Kilometre 0 products, with its own sustainable agricultural production, thanks to the ecological farms next to the zoo. Compost is even made from the organic waste generated in the Parque, obtaining a 100% natural fertiliser for the crops.
The commitment to environmental quality is implemented at all levels of the activity, also in the area of health and food, with the use of palm oil free products, which is not used either in the gastronomic area of any of the Parques, or with the use of ecological soaps and biodegradable cleaning products. Working towards a circular economy, we have implemented ways of working in which suppliers who use plastic must collect it to send it for recycling, an action that is also carried out with the aluminium cans that are collected.
This commitment led to the implementation of an Environmental Management System in accordance with EMAS III, ISO 14001, ISO 9001 and Biosphere standards. Pioneers in certification in 2005 as the first zoo centre aligned with both ISO14000 and EMAS, since then they have carried out initiatives such as selective waste collection, the early elimination of single-use plastic in 2018 and the return of packaging policy in 2021. Loro Parque is the first zero-emission zoo facility in its group, generating 26 MWh/year of green energy, an amount that exceeds its consumption.
