Buildings and Energy
Fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and petroleum produced 80% of the energy used in 2020. Producing all of that energy released toxic air molecules, destroyed natural wildlife, and polluted waterways, forests and communities. In 2020 the United States released and emitted 1.4 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide. While there’s no denying that enormous amounts of energy are necessary to operate botanical gardens, museums and zoos, there are environmentally conscious options and opportunities to reduce our energy footprints that organizations should consider.
One such opportunity is for organizations to purchase or generate 100% renewable energy. The Climate Toolkit created goals to support and assist organizations as they address energy emissions within their own operations.
Click to read more about each goal and explore further resources. If you need more support, please email the Climate Toolkit at climatetoolkit@phipps.conservatory.org.
Resources:
Fossil Fuels, Explained
Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Electricity Generation
Energy goals of the Climate Toolkit:
Meet the Paris Climate Agreement targets for CO2 reduction OR reduce fossil fuel use by 25%.
![](https://climatetoolkit.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Website-Homepages-300x163.jpg)
The Paris Agreement is a global agreement to addresses climate change with a long-term goal of keeping the global average temperature to at least 2°C (3.6°F) below pre-industrial levels. In alignment with the Paris Agreement, the Climate Toolkit recommends that institutions set realistic goals to reduce fossil fuel usage and its associated emissions and make plans to accomplish those goals. This is a critical step to address climate change and diminish our carbon footprint. Click here to read more about the Paris Climate Agreement.
Institutions Pursuing Buildings and Energy Goals:
Asheville Art Museum
Asheville, North Carolina
Atlanta History Center
Atlanta, Georgia
Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum
Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
Vail, Colorado
Bok Tower Gardens
Lake Wales, Florida
Botanic Garden of Havana “Quinta de los Molinos”
Havana, Cuba
California Indian Museum and Cultural Center
Santa Rosa, California
Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center & Botanical Gardens
Fort Davis, Texas
Chihuly Garden and Glass
Seattle, Washington
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
Cincinnati, Ohio
City of Greeley Museums
Greeley, Colorado
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
Cleveland, Ohio
Discovery Museum
Acton, Massachusetts
Duke Farms
Hillsborough Township, New Jersey
Dyer Arts Center / National Technical Institute for the Deaf
Fingerlakes, New York
Ganna Walska Lotusland
Santa Barbara, California
Heritage Museums & Gardens
Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Hillwood Estate, Museum and Garden
Washington, D.C.
Hitchcock Center for the Environment
Amherst, Massachusetts
Hoyt Arboretum Friends
Portland, Oregon
Inala Jurassic Garden
Tasmania, Australia
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Austin, Texas
Longue Vue House & Gardens
New Orleans, Louisiana
Madison Children’s Museum
Madison, Wisconsin
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Sarasota, Florida
Meeteetse Museum District
Mountain Plains, Wyoming
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Monterey, California
Montréal Botanical Gardens / Montréal Space for Life
Québec, Canada
Morris Arboretum
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Mt. Cuba Center
Hockessin, Delaware
Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)
Los Angeles, California
National Nordic Museum
Seattle, Washington
National Tropical Botanical Garden
Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi
New York Botanical Garden
Bronx, New York
Norfolk Botanical Garden
Norfolk, Virginia
North Carolina Botanical Garden
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh Botanic Garden
Greater Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Racing Magpie Arts Center
Rapid City, South Dakota
Reid Park Zoo
Tucson, Arizona
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Edinburgh, UK
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
England, UK
Royal Horticultural Society
United Kingdom
San Diego Natural History Museum
San Diego, California
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Fe Botanical Garden
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Science Museum of Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Tacoma Art Museum
Tacoma, Washington
The Florida Aquarium
Tampa, FL
The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk
Norwalk, Connecticut
The Morton Arboretum
Lisle, Illinois
The Natural History Museum
Vashon, Washington
Toronto Zoo
Toronto, Ontario
Visual Arts Center of New Jersey
Summit, New Jersey
Wellington Gardens
Wellington, New Zealand