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The Green Planet is committed to lowering our carbon footprint by adapting eco-friendly and sustainable practices of reducing waste, recycling, and educating our visitors about how they can protect their environment locally and internationally.The Green Planet Cafe has eliminated all single use plastics for guest and staff service. The first-ever eco-friendly birthday party packages were started here in the UAE with our Blow Bubbles, not Balloons initiative. all party decorations are reusable with no single use plastics. Guests are provided with biodegradable bags at the retail shop. There are many more projects on the horizon with a composting program to recycle animal food waste into fertilizer for our biodome launching this summer!

Join us in committing to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. We can all do our part to help the environment through small daily acts at home! (Insert info from the attached sign, "recycle").For every visitor that comes through our doors, you will receive a small gift at the entrance. It is an envelope of seeds with instructions on how to plant it. This is a fun activity for the family and a small reminder to give back to the environment around you however you can. From planting your own garden and growing your own food, to planting the seeds with your family to connect with nature.

• Use re-usable canvas shopping bags instead of plastic.
• Use reusable water bottles and coffee cups.
• Turn off plugs and outlets when not in use or when gone on vacation.
• Recycle paper,cans,glass and plastics.
• Buy products that are Rainforest Safe and Palm Oil Free.
• Buy sustainably fished seafood.
• Use nontoxic biodegrable sunscreen.
• Bike,Walk or carpool if available.
• Shop locally and support local organic farms.
• Compost organic material instead of using chemical fertilizers in your garden.

Illegal Pet Trade

The Green Planet is home to a family of slow loris; Lonely, Amal, and their offspring. Our slow loris family are ambassadors for their species and one success story of animals being rescued from the illegal pet trade. Unfortunately, slow loris are heavily trafficked illegally around the world and are illegal to have as pets in the UAE. The species originate from southeast Asia and are sought after as pets because of how cute they look. Not all slow loris are as lucky as Lonely and Amal, however. Slow loris are the only venomous mammal and have sharp teeth so when they are sold as pets, their teeth are often removed first. This could cause infection or the inability to eat properly, which may lead to other health concerns and a shorted life expectancy. Fortunately, Lonely and Amal still had their teeth when they were rescued and were quite healthy. After a thorough veterinary inspection and a joint agreement with Dubai Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, both slow loris found their new home and life at The Green Planet.

When looking for a pet of your own, make sure to follow the recommendations below!

• Do your research! Animals need a lot of time and care. Turtles and birds can live over 60 years old; they are lifelong commitments
• Make sure you understand the requirements and time commitment needed to properly care for the animal. Can you provide them with the right amount of space, proper diet, and time?
• Do not buy exotic animals
• Ensure the pets have the proper paperwork
• Keep your pets indoors. Do not release animals into the wild
• For your pet, you are their entire world, if you cannot commit to caring for them, their welfare and health may be at risk

Research

Mission: The Green Planet is dedicated to the betterment of zoological best practice care and conservation through environmental, behavioral, and scientific research collaboration utilizing our unique tropical biodome

The Green Planet is a unique facility in the heart of Dubai, and we pride ourselves on our education and conservation goals. To promote these goals, we have partnered with local universities, offering our facility for students interested in conducting research projects related to animal behavior, conservation, conservation breeding, animal welfare, or sustainability.

For more information on how Universities or Professionals can get involved, please contact us through the email below with a project brief and introduction info@thegreenplanetdubai.com

Biologists at The Green Planet also contribute directly to zoological research with staff attending and presenting at international conferences such as International Zoo Educator Conference and the American Association of Zookeepers Conference. We also contribute animal data in a global database called ZIMS, Zoological Information Management System. This database is utilized by zoos worldwide to organize and keep data on animals within their facilities and the data can be utilized for scientific research studies