During my stay at Disney, I was fortunate enough to spend some time with Dr. Jackie Ogden, the Vice President of Animal Programs and Environmental Initiatives for the Walt Disney World Resort. What that long title means is that Dr. Ogden is in charge of pretty much everything green that happens in and around Walt Disney World.

Dr. Ogden gave me a behind the scenes tour of the animal conservation programs and green initiatives that take place at Walt Disney World, and throughout the world. Here are just a few of her favorite programs:

Sea Turtles

In the United States, as much as 90% of sea turtle nesting occurs in Florida. Disney researchers help to protect and promote this sea turtle nesting through a number of programs. As part of the Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Workshop hosted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 7 green sea turtles were recently released into the wild after a 2 month rehab visit to Disney World. The endangered sea turtles washed up on shore in December during a red tide event on Florida’s east coast. The turtles were cared for by Disney’s Animal Programs Veterinary Team. Since the release, the turtles have been tracked with external flipper tags and internal tags as well, allowing scientists to identify the turtles at a later date.

Cotton-Top Tamarin

The cotton-top tamarin is one of the most endangered primates in the world. The South American primate is threatened by both habitat destruction and capture for the pet trade. Working with the local community and conservation groups, Disney research scientists help to investigate economic alternatives that can support local communities and decrease their dependency on forest products…in other words, instead of just telling impoverished folks in the local communities that they shouldn’t cut down their trees or capture and sell wildlife, this program aims to develop viable alternatives for local community members to support their families.

One of the most profitable products to come out of this program is the eco-mochila tote bag that is woven from recycled plastic bags. Not only does this initiative help to reduce the amount of waste that litters the forests of Colombia, it also gives the local community members a viable commodity to sell and a reason to protect their surrounding environment. Since the eco-mochila program started 4 years ago, the number of cotton-top tamarins caught for the illegal pet trade and the illegal harvest of trees in the forest has decreased significantly.  Eco-mochila bags are available for sale in certain stores at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Elephants

Did you know that elephants were afraid of bees? I didn’t. But Disney’s animal scientists do, and they’re studying the interaction between elephants and bees to determine whether bees can be used as an effective elephant deterrent for crops and trees. Additional research conducted in Animal Kingdom uncovered two new vocalizations among elephants unlocking a whole new realm of elephant behavior and socialization. Disney is also home to a very successful elephant breeding program, with 4 successful live births to date.

Sea Turtle photo by mappamundi

Cotton-Top Tamarin Photo by Proyecto Titi

Elephant photo by bocavermelha-l.b.’ s

Similar Posts:

• Eco-Fun In Disney World
• Greening Disney
• It’s Good To Share
• Eating Green in Disney World
• Are You On for MLK Day?

Here are some of the top choices for eco-fun:

Kilimanjaro Safari: If you and your kids like to see animals, you will definitely want to check out this attraction.  You’ll see antelopes and zebras and everything in between.  The “ride” gets a little corny when the tour guide receives word that poachers have taken a baby elephant from its mother and your truck takes off on a chase to help save the infant animal from harm.  But overall, it is very cool and a great way to learn a bit about animals you may have never seen before.

Mahrajah Jungle Trek and Pangani Forest Exploration Trail: These are two self-guided nature trails that offer great views and information about all kinds of Asian and African animals…gorillas, meerkats, hippos, giant bats, tapirs, and even an okapi!

Discovery Clubs: Be on the lookout for these activity stations all throughout Animal Kingdom.  There are 6 of them located throughout the park and at each one kids can try hands-on activities such as constructing a dinosaur from a pile of bones, going on a scavenger hunt, becoming a wildlife detective, and viewing the world from a bug’s point of view.  After completing each activity, kids receive a stamp and if they do all 6 they can get a special bonus (my littlest one pooped out so we didn’t make it to all 6, but the girls loved the 3 that they tried.) To find the Discovery Clubs locations, look for the red squares with a “K” symbol in your park map.

Rafiki’s Planet Watch: This is a great spot for learning more about the conservation projects that Disney takes part in (in-depth info on that tomorrow.)  You can get an up-close look at the inner workings of Disney’s Animal Kingdom and learn even more about animal conservation and preservation.  Rafiki’s Planet Watch is also home to “Affection Station” a petting zoo where kids can brush, pet, and feed, goats, sheep, chickens, and llamas.

I was also pretty impressed to learn that conservation is a general theme on many of the Disney World attractions.  For instance, their public relations rep explained to me that the basic theme behind “Expedition Everest” (Animal Kingdom’s giant, nail-biting, high-speed, darkness-plunging, thrill ride) is that we need to be respectful of the mountain…and taking shortcuts to the top might get you into trouble.  I asked my husband if he picked up on this when he came weak-kneed and white-knuckled through the ride’s exit gate.  “Hmm, I might have missed that.” was all that he would say.
Photo by shutterproof

Fortunately, there are plenty of  healthy, well-balanced, eco-savvy meals for both kids and adults…you just have to know where to look.   For instance, if your kids get hungry in Animal Kingdom, you could make a pit stop for a burger and fries.  Or you could pick up a turkey sandwich with apple slices at Tamu Tamu Refreshments.  For snacks, skip the chips and head over to Harambe Fruit Market and pick up some pineapple, apples, bananas, or a celery and carrot plate.

It would be a little insane to try to list all

of the healthy food selections at all of the Disney World restaurants, so for now, I’ll limit the list to just those found in the Magic Kingdom.  If you need more specifics or a detailed list of healthy foods at any of the other “kingdoms”, drop me a line and Ill see what I can do.  Here’s where to find the healthiest food choices in Disney World:

Casey’s Corner

Apple Slices $1.29

Columbia Harbor House
Anchors Aweigh Sandwich – white tuna with lettuce and tomato on toasted multigrain bun $6.99

Lighthouse Sandwich – hummus with tomato & broccoli slaw $6.49

Garden Harvest Salad – mixed greens, chicken, garden vegetables, cheese and sunflower seeds $7.19

Bowl of Vegetarian Chili $4.49

Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe

Grilled Chicken Sandwich served with apple slice or french fries $7.19

El Pirata y el Perico

Vegetarian Taco – two corn tortillas filled with refried beans and served with refried beans and white rice $5.49

Golden Oak Outpost

Vegetarian Flatbread Wrap $6.79

Liberty Tree Tavern

Declaration Salad – field greens and vegetables tossed with your choice of our tavern strawberry vinaigrette or roasted garlic buttermilk dressing $5.99

Main Street Ice Cream Parlor

Ice cream and other sweets as well as tofutti and rice dream

Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe

Vegetarian Burger served with fries or apple slices $6.29

Pinnochio Village Haus

Mediterranean Salad – mixed greens, chicken, roasted red peppers, black olives and red onions, mozzarella cheese $7.19

Plaza Restaurant

Chicken Strawberry Salad – fresh garden greens, grilled chicken breast, fresh strawberries, gorgonzola cheese, tossed in a white zinfandel vinaigrette dressing $11.99

Vegetarian Sandwich – fresh mozzarella, hummus, basil pesto, cucumber, roasted red pepper, tomato, and lettuce on a freshly baked foccaccia bread served with broccoli slaw or sweet potato chips $11.49

Grilled Chicken Sticks with apple wedges, rice, soup or salad, and BBQ sauce $7.59

Tomorrowland Terrace Noodle Station

Vegetable Noodle Bowl with Tofu $6.99

Tofu with Steamed Rice $7.59

Tony’s Town Square

Eggplant Catasta (Stack) – Layers of Eggplant, Fresh Mozzarella, and Parmesan with Marinara Sauce $12.99

Vegetable Calzone – Filled with seasonal Vegetables and fresh Mozzarella $11.99

Toontown Farmer’s Market

Assorted fruit ($0.99-2.99) and yogurt ($1.99)

If you’re a vegetarian, check out this link to find a listing of the at all of Disney World’s restaurants.

Buying Groceries?

If you are fortunate enough to stay at lodging in Disney World that has cooking facilities, I highly recommend getting some groceries at any of the nearby grocery stores to feed your family.  Even if you just buy some fruit and healthy snacks to supplement your meals in the park, it will seriously reduce waste and save you a fortune to bring some of your own food into the parks.  If you won’t have a car during you stay, you can have groceries delivered to your room for a minimal fee.  There are a number of grocery services available…we used  on our trip and I can wholeheartedly recommend them.  They have a fantastic selection of organic foods, their prices are reasonable, and the surcharge for doing all of the shopping and delivering the food to our room was only about $20.  Totally worth it!

On more thing.  I was pretty happy to learn that Disney makes sure all of their second servings to good use by donating them to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida which distributes food to needy families.  Each day, a Disney Harvest truck makes the rounds among the resort’s restaurants and convention centers to pick up excess prepared food that has not been previously served. The truck delivers food to 41 agencies each week and feeds over 1,000 children in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. During the past year, Disney Harvest served over 704,000 pounds of food.

Photo by

Planning Your Trip

Consider Traveling by Train: Planes emit more carbon dioxide per traveler than any other means of transportation, followed by cars and trains.  If possible, consider making the train trip to Disney part of the vacation.  I know…I know…traveling by train is not particularly easy with kids.  But consider this, the train trip to Disney could save you hundreds of dollars on the cost of your vacation, and that’s even if you get a “roomette” on the train with beds for the night.  Also, all meals are included when you get a room on the train.  There are stations located in both Orlando and Kissimmee.

Line Up Green Lodging: The and list a bunch of eco-savvy hotels, motels, and resorts near Disney so it should be easy to find lodging in line with your green ideals.  Also, keep in mind that all of the Disney resorts have been certified by Florida’s program as “environmentally conscious” lodging facilities.  And staying “on campus” so to speak means that you can travel to and from all of the parks via Disney’s excellent public transportation system, eliminating the need for a rental car.  And if you stay at certain Disney resorts, you may be eligible to take Disney’s free bus service from the airport to your hotel.  Honestly, I’m not trying to plug Disney resorts over other types of lodging, but if you’re trying to streamline and keep it green, it really does help to eliminate the need for a car.

Play Greentag: If you really want to negate the carbon emissions of your vacation, consider purchasing carbon offsets (also known as greentags).  The money you spend on carbon offsets will be used to plant trees or support a renewable energy project, thereby “offsetting” the carbon emissions generated during your travel.  You can even get your kids to help with this.  Log on to a carbon offsetting website and help your child calculate the carbon emissions that will be generated during your trip.  Check out or to purchase greentags to offset them.

Before You Leave The House

Unplug:

Save money on your electric bill by taking a few minutes to unplug appliances, computers, power strips, and televisions before you head out.  Adjust your thermostat so that you are not heating or cooling an empty house (but be mindful to leave the house a comfortable temperature if pets are staying behind).

Go Digital: Invest in a digital camera to capture your vacation’s highlights.  If you take a lot of pictures, you will easily recoup the costs of the camera in film and processing fees. The latest camera models come equipped with rechargeable batteries, but if you have an older model, just be sure to load your camera with rechargeables, bring your charger, you’re good to go.

Packing Green

Make It Green: Look for gently used luggage (either from around your house or from your local thrift store) to pack up your gear. If you do need to purchase new, try a daypack or courier bag from that’s made from 100% recycled PET plastic.

Keep It Light: Save your back and save the planet by keeping your load as light as possible. The less you pack, the less energy (yours and the planet’s) it will take to get your bags to your destination.  Remember, a lot of airlines charge now for every checked bag…so it pays to to travel light.

Grab the Green Stuff: Of course, packing lightly doesn’t mean that you should skimp on the green essentials. Make sure you have these supplies in your suitcase so that you can go green on the go:

• Reusable drink bottle
• Reusable tote bag
• Reusable bottles of toiletries (be sure these are in your checked luggage or they’ll be confiscated at security)
• Digital camera
• A great green read

Last week, I took my family to Disney World.  Not the greenest of ventures you say?  Well, while Disney may not be the first destination that comes to mind on the eco-parent vacation list, I found that with a little planning and preparation, you can have an amazing vacation without sacrificing your eco-savvy style.  The key is knowing what to bring, what to eat, and what sites to see to maximize the green on your trip.  So this week, I’m writing a series of posts to help you green your next Disney vacation.  This week’s posts will include info on:

• Greener travel to Disney World
• Eating your greens at Disney
• Disney’s eco must-sees
• What’s green behind the scenes at Disney

Got a green Disney tip to share?  Be sure to drop me a line so that I can include it!

Photo by disneylori