WACO, TX — The Cameron Park Zoo taught everyone how to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, because if they don't it could end up where our animals live.
In their annual event It's Easy Being Green, there were activities for people to take the pledge to recycle and use less plastic. There was also an area to trash fish. Kids could go fishing for trash and learn how long certain plastic items last in the ocean. For example, a Styrofoam plate lasts 50 years polluting the water.
Zookeepers purposefully "trashed" some of the exhibits to show what it would be like if we didn't recycle. They placed items like water bottles, plastic bags and soda cans floating in the water of the aquariums.
"This is a perfect example for this exhibit. It doesn't take much to really ruin something really beautiful and I think it's something we all have a responsibility to do," Michelle Beckert said, an avid recycler.
Many were shocked when they saw the plastic floating in the water and hanging from the trees, but soon realized it was all a demonstration to show what our animals homes could be like.
"There's keepers making sure the animals are okay but that's what the Brazos River is going to look like if we don't get our trash in the right places," Connie Kassner said, Education Curator at the Cameron Park Zoo.
According to the zoo an average human can discard up to seven pounds of trash a day. The zoo doesn't just recycle for one day, they are always practicing recycling throughout the year. Collecting empty soda cans, which are then recycled, and able to be used to buy toys for the animals.
"We've gotta get our trash under control, so we've gotta think about different ways that we can reduce our carbon footprint for generations and for animals right now," Kassner said.
Beckart is recycling at home and at work, getting others to follow in her foot steps.
"I visit different locations in my company and always asking the question, because it's something I just notice. It's something so easy so I try to plant that in people's minds." Beckart said.
After today many felt with the same feeling of wanting to reduce, reuse and recycle.
"It looks sad, because this is the animals home and it doesn't take much to, ya know, put the item in a recycling container," Beckart said.
For more information on recycling visit the United States Environmental Protective Agency website.
