Join The Climate Toolkit

We welcome museums, gardens, zoos, aquaria, science centers, nature centers, field stations and other cultural institutions to join The Climate Toolkit! To take the first steps in this important effort, please complete the form below and a member of our staff will be in touch with you. If you have any questions, read our How-To-Join page or contact us at: climatetoolkit@phipps.conservatory.org.

Focus Areas: In recognition that every institution, community and region is unique, we ask that you select a focus area and at least one corresponding goal that is most appropriate and important for your institution. Additional areas may be selected but are not required.

Please note that contact fields will be made public so that your fellow institutions can reach you.

If you belong to an organization or business that doesn’t fit the above categories, please feel free to reach out to us.

Already joined and want to make an update? Use our Update Your Profile form.

Join The Climate Toolkit

Organization Name*
Organization Type (check all that apply)*
- MUSEUM & SCIENCE CENTER
- GARDEN & ARBORETA
- ZOO & AQUARIUM
- FIELD STATION & NATURE CENTER
- OTHER CULTURAL INSTITUTION
Annual Operating Budget (in USD)
- Under $150,000
- $150,000 – $400,000
- $400,000 – $1 million
- $1 million – $3 million
- $3 million – $10 million
- Over $10 million
Region Served*
Contact Name*
Contact Title
Contact Email*
Contact Phone
Pick A Focus Area*
- Buildings and Energy
- Water
- Food Service
- Transportation
- Waste
- Ecological Restoration and Landscapes
- Investments
- Engagement
- Research
OPTIONAL: Choose additional goals that your institutional has completed or is working towards.
- Buildings and Energy
- Water
- Food Service
- Transportation
- Waste
- Ecological Restoration and Landscapes
- Investments
- Engagement
- Research
MY INSTITUTION HAS DONE / WILL DO THE FOLLOWING
Use the space below to capture items your institution has done or plans to do within the specified timeline.

Percentage decreases should be assessed according to internal baselines. If you need assistance establishing baselines, contact us!
Buildings and Energy
Meet your nation's Paris Agreement Targets for CO2 reduction
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Derive power solely from 100% clean renewable energy – generated onsite or procured through market mechanisms
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Eliminate all onsite fossil-fuel combustion to heat buildings (except backup generators)
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Build all new buildings to meet latest international energy efficiency standards (e.g. IECC, ASHRAE, ILFI)
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Ensure existing buildings achieve an Energy Use Intensity (EUI) 35% below median
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Decarbonize your glasshouse facility
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Water
Reduce use of municipal water by at least 25%
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Reduce potable water for irrigation by at least 25%
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Food Service
Ensure 40% of food service menu selections are vegan or vegetarian
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Make 10% of all food purchases within 100-mile radius of site
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Transportation
Offset carbon for all work-related staff travel
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Make 25% of vehicle fleet electric
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Incentivize employees to carpool, bike, bus or otherwise forgo single-occupant car transportation to work
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Incentivize visitor sustainable travel
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Waste
Eliminate all single-use plastic in food service, horticulture, gift shop, and all other facilities and operations.
*We recognize that single-use plastic waste is sometimes a necessary byproduct of research work; cases like these may be excluded from this goal.*
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Compost 100% of food waste
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Eliminate the sale and use of bottled water
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Recycle or reuse all recyclable materials including metals, glass, and plastic
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Ecological Restoration and Landscapes
Protect existing forests and other natural spaces
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Increase tree and plant cover to sequester carbon and support local ecology
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Provide professional and public ecological restoration education and training
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Support and advance urban agriculture
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Maximize use of electric landscape maintenance equipment
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Use integrated pest management and sustainable land care practices
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Investments
Divest from fossil fuel investments
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Invest in socially responsible investments
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Engagement
Engage youth in climate advocacy and action
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Incorporate climate education and action into exhibits and site interpretation
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Assist visitors in switching to household renewable energy
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Establish an employee green team to support climate action
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Educate visitors on sustainable, fossil-free horticulture
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Educate visitors on growing organic food
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Educate visitors on the impacts of food choices and waste on climate change
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Teach facts and best practices to mitigate and reduce global climate change
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
Research
Initiate region-specific research related to climate change
- Already Completed
- By End of 2026
- By End of 2027
- By End of 2028
- By End of 2029
- By End of 2030
In a few sentences, summarize your organization’s relationship to climate change, what you hope to achieve through this community, and where you feel you are best positioned to make a difference.
OPTIONAL: You can answer additional questions about your institution. To learn more about each question, please click the boxes below :
- Is your institution doing something outside of this framework of goals that should also receive credit as a climate initiative?
- What are the most pressing problems or opportunities in your community that can be leveraged to address climate change?
- What unique features of your institution can be leveraged to address climate change?
- What unique restraining forces do your institution or community face that prevent you from addressing climate change effectively?
Is your institution doing something outside of this framework of goals that should also receive credit as a climate initiative?
What are the most pressing problems or opportunities in your community that can be leveraged to address climate change?
What unique features of your institution can be leveraged to address climate change?
View the diagram. When an activating force meets a restraining force, compromise is a conventional resolution, but this results in everyone losing something. If instead, through a regenerative approach, forces can be reconciled and harmonized, a new, mutually beneficial solution can be reached.
What unique restraining forces do your institution or community face that prevent you from addressing climate change effectively?