5 Eco-Friendly Discoveries at Busch Gardens, Tampa Florida

A great thing about living in Florida is access to so many family friendly

activities! We recently visited Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida, and I was

overwhelming surprised to see the many efforts the theme park makes in

promoting sustainability and providing eco-friendly opportunities. Let me

show you just a few ones I noticed:

1. Recycle Bins

+ Recycle bins were located by almost every trash receptacle throughout

the park and the bright blue color makes them nicely stand out! The

signs specifying whether to place plastic or aluminum products in the

containers were also very helpful.

+ The bins were conveniently located near food stands. I appreciated this

since most food stands offer plastic silverware. Having so many recycle

bins available for patrons makes recycling super easy!

Our girls were excited to feel included and felt they were making a difference every time they got to recycle something!

2. Recycled Napkins

+ The Tork napkin dispensers stated that each napkin was made from

100% recycled material! They were dispensed in a one-at-a-time

dispenser which reduces excessive consumption by about 25%.

+ Having these napkins is such a smart idea! It helps take only what you

need, versus grabbing a large stack of napkins that are just sitting out.

3. Smart Dispensed Cutlery

+ If you've ever needed plastic silverware in a public place, you

understand that cringe moment when you realize you must take it from

the containers where everyone's hands also can touch.

+ At Busch Gardens they smartly have SmartStock individual recyclable

silverware dispensers. Not only is this more sanitary, but it also

dispenses one cutlery at a time, reducing waste an over of 29%!

+ The dispensers are adult and kid-friendly. My daughter was easily able to get one spoon

for herself for lunch.

4. Conservation Fund

+ Bush Gardens and Sea World have an amazing program where 100%

of your donated money goes to their conservation fund. These funds

provide education, research, and more which protect animals and

natural spaces we depend on. You can learn more and/or donate by

clicking here.

+ I enjoyed seeing the conservation funds in action at different exhibits.

This time we saw the tigers, which were lounging and sunbathing! You

can see the girls below taking a picture with the tiger! (Click here to read

about one of the tiger habitat protection grants from the conservation

fund!)

5. Animal Care Center

+ The Animal Care Center includes up-close encounters with the animals,

zoological professionals, veterinarians, and trainers! The experience

doesn't have to end here! The Wildlife Docs TV series on the CW is

filmed here and can be enjoyed on tv or online! Click here to watch.

+ My oldest daughter is an animal lover to the core, so she loves these up-close

encounters and feeling part of the behind-the-scenes care and education.

In summary, not only is Busch Gardens a family-friendly theme park where

you can ride roller coasters, see live shows, and experience animal

encounters, it also should be commended for its sustainability efforts provided

and eco-friendly opportunities!