Dr Duncan East, head of sustainability at Marwell Wildlife, is an experienced environmental manager and sustainability advocate with more than 25 years of experience in business mentoring, auditing, environmental management and consultancy, with a focus on net-positive business. His PhD research explored methods of measuring and quantifying behaviour change and its potential contribution to achieving a net positive impact.
Marwell Wildlife operates Marwell Zoo in Hampshire, which is home to over 1000 animals and works on a range of educational and conservation activities. At greenloop 2022, East talked about the Zoo’s journey to carbon neutral and beyond, including the “zoo poo” renewable energy initiative.
Marwell Zoo is the first zoo in the UK to heat its largest buildings using biomass technology, part of the attraction’s goal to become carbon neutral in 2022.
“Using heat in this way from our own animals is unique in the UK and, as far as we know, across the world,” says East. “There is an urgent need to reduce the burning of fossil fuels and leave these high carbon sources in the ground. We can’t act soon enough to replace the oil-fired heating systems in these buildings.
“Previously, 600 tonnes of animal waste was taken off-site to be composted. This came with a significant carbon transport cost. We came up with the idea of biomass heat generation to reduce our carbon footprint. We would turn a previous waste stream into a valuable resource – achieving cost savings in the process.”
Marwell Zoo has reduced its carbon footprint from around 1700 tonnes in 2008 to just over 200 tonnes in 2022, thanks to projects that have revamped the lighting and brought in solar panels, as well as creating a circular economy gift shop.
East is also acting chair of the Winchester Sustainable Business Network, Chair of the Solent IEMA / Southampton Green Drinks network and chair of the BIAZA Environmental Impact and Sustainability working group.