Dallas Zoo Throws a Party for the Planet on April 26 and 27
DALLAS – Celebrate Earth Day with PBS’ NATURE series and its corporate sponsor Toyota by attending a Party for the Planet at the Dallas Zoo. The event will be held the second weekend of Dallas Roars!, presented by Kimberly-Clark Corporation, April 26 from noon to 5 p.m. and Sunday, April 27 from 1 to 5 p.m. More than 30 activity booths will be featured, each with an important message about the environment and conservation. Children who visit booths and complete projects will get a worksheet stamped, which they can redeem for prizes. Howard Garrett, the Dirt Doctor, will appear on Saturday, April 26 from 1 to 3 p.m. Everyone who brings a cell phone to recycle that weekend will receive a ticket for a free carousel ride.
Party for the Planet is sponsored with a grant from Toyota as host of Nature Zoo Tour 2008 to celebrate wildlife and encourage its preservation. Partnered with PBS' award-winning Nature series, for which it is a corporate sponsor, Toyota is funding public events at nine zoos across the country this spring to support endangered species and increase awareness of their need for protection.
“NATURE’s mission has always been to show people the beauty and struggles of wildlife and the environment in the hope that they will gain an appreciation for it,” said Fred Kaufman, executive producer of NATURE. “This Zoo Tour enables us to reach the public in a very personal way with that message. We’re grateful that our corporate sponsor, Toyota, is funding this initiative.”
“Everyone has been enthusiastic about the event and we have participation from many area institutions that support conservation,” said Nancy Scott, bird research technician at the Dallas Zoo and organizer of the event. The Conservation, Education and Science Department at the Dallas Zoo developed this special event last year and it was a fantastic success. Kids and adults alike had a great time at the interactive activities and learned about the many simple things they can do at home to make a difference. This year’s Party for the Planet is going to be even bigger and better.”
In addition to information booths throughout the Zoo, there will be workshops on composting, vermicomposting, rainwater harvesting, and rain gardens. The Dirt Doctor, Howard Garrett, will be at the Cat Green Pavilion on Saturday. He will be delivering a keynote address on Natural Organic Gardening and Living from 1 to 2:15 p.m. and he will be available for a Meet & Greet with visitors and handing out free samples of organic fertilizer from 2:15 to 3 p.m.
To take advantage of the free ticket for the Endangered Species Carousel, bring used cell phones to the collection station by the carousel. The phones will be recycled through ECO-CELL, which provides a donation to the Dallas Zoo’s conservation fund.
“By recycling old cell phones, you’re keeping hazardous chemicals out of landfills and you also are helping preserve gorilla, okapi, and elephant habitats,” said Bruce Rasmussen, volunteer coordinator for the Dallas Zoo. “Most of the world’s coltan (columbite-tantalite), a raw material essential in the manufacturing of cell phones, is found in the Congo. By reducing the need to mine coltan, we will help save endangered animals and their habitats.”
In order to reduce the amount of waste generated by the Party for the Planet, community partners have been asked to provide Web site links for visitors to get more information. Conservation, Education and Science staff and volunteers from the Dallas Zoo will be distributing magnets that feature the www.DallasZooEd.com Web site where all the information can be found.
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