The U.S. Department of Agriculture has selected the Virginia Zoo to receive funds to launch a state-of-the-art composting project benefiting the zoo and Norfolk community.

The USDA’s Composting and Food Waste Reduction Program is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act and a collaboration between the USDA’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production and the National Institute for Food and Agriculture. The zoo will be using the awarded funding to purchase the key composting equipment, a Big Hanna in-vessel composter unit.

The zoo is home to over 700 animals and sees nearly 400,000 guests annually, resulting in a significant amount of food and organic waste that is currently disposed to landfill.

In an effort to align with the zoo’s mission of engaging the community to take action to save the world’s wildlife and their ecosystems, this project, dubbed “Greening World,” will drastically eliminate food and organic waste by converting it to useful compost while actively engaging visitors in the importance of environmental and sustainable choices.

The Virginia Zoo is partnering with the Elizabeth River Project, the Virginia Master Gardeners Association, and the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore, who will join either to receive compost to enhance gardens and plant growth or recycle their perishable food waste.

The zoo’s nonprofit organization, the Virginia Zoological Society, needs the help of the community to raise an additional $107,800 to cover utility, installation and implementation costs for the composter element of the Greening World project. Another $150,000 will be required to update zoo greenhouses and complete the initiative.

Those interested in supporting the Greening World project can make a gift at virginiazoo.givecloud.co.