Conservation in Action: Guest Services
Recycling

Visitors recyclingFrom office operations to visitor services, over 80 percent of non-organic solid waste collected at the Garden is recycled.

  • Single stream recycling is collected throughout the Garden and at all public events
  • Used visitor maps and tickets are collected for reuse and/or recycling
Take Back the Tap

In 2009, the Garden initiated the Take Back the Tap campaign, educating our visitors on the environmental impact of the bottled water industry and the savings associated with drinking tap water. Refillable water bottles are sold at the Sassafras Cafe, the Children’s Garden and in the Garden Gate Shop. Now four hydration stations have been installed throughout the Garden making it easier for visitors to refill water bottles.

Sassafras

Natural lighting saves energyIn 2008, the Garden’s restaurant Sassafras became the first restaurant in the State of Missouri to be certified by the Green Restaurant Association. Green practices include:

  • Reusable plates and utensils
  • Napkins and cups with recycled content
  • Recycling and waste reduction
  • Composting of food waste and disposables
  • Water saving features
  • Fair Trade Organic Coffee
  • Use of natural light
  • Visitor education about green achievements
Garden Gate Shop

Green goods in the Garden Gate ShopThe majority of Garden visitors stop by the Garden Gate Shop to purchase high quality gifts that are also eco-wise. In addition to offering a wide variety of merchandise made from recycled content, all shopping bags and packing tissue used in the shop are 100 percent recycled content. In addition, the Garden Gate Shop provides incentives to reuse shopping bags and participates in the Eco-Libris program.

 

Publications

Samples of the Garden's Publications workFirst we ask, “Do we need to use paper to achieve our goal? Can we fulfill our communication goals electronically?” Therefore:

  • All copy paper is 100 percent post-consumer recycled content
  • Most printed publications are printed on 100 percent post-consumer recycled content paper
  • The majority of class catalogs are now only available electronically