ORLANDO, Fla., June 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its
mission to protect animals and habitats worldwide, and just in time
for World Oceans Day, SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: SEAS)
today announced that all 12 of its theme parks have removed all
single-use plastic drinking straws and single-use plastic shopping
bags.
"This milestone environmental achievement is a testament to our
mission to protect the environment, the ocean and the animals we
share our planet with, which are currently threatened by
unprecedented amounts of plastic pollution," said John Reilly, interim chief executive officer for
SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. "We see the harmful effects of plastic
pollution in the animals we rescue and rehabilitate, and therefore,
recognize the importance of doing our part to curb plastic
pollution."
Recent news and studies have shown alarming consequences of the
growing threat of plastics to our oceans and wildlife. The Ocean
Conservancy, a nonprofit environmental advocacy group, estimates
that eight million metric tons of plastics enter the ocean each
year, on top of the estimated 150 million metric tons that
currently circulate the planet. This prevalence of plastics in the
ocean has been making its way into the diets of marine animals that
mistake it for food and become sick or even die.
"We've seen first-hand the horrific damage that plastic
pollution causes to animals," said Jon
Peterson, manager of rescue operations at SeaWorld Orlando.
"Some studies have indicated that more than half of sea turtles out
in the wild ingest some form of plastic. In fact, just this week,
we performed surgery on a rescued sea turtle who became ill from
ingesting plastic and other ocean debris."
With this commitment to remove single-use plastic straws and
shopping bags from its parks – including SeaWorld and Aquatica
parks in Orlando, San Antonio and San
Diego; Sesame Place; Adventure Island; Water Country
USA; Discovery Cove Orlando; Busch
Gardens Williamsburg and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay - SeaWorld joins
the ranks of other organizations and government entities working to
reduce the use of single-use plastics, such as Alaska Airlines,
Hilton, and Hurtigruten.
"We applaud SeaWorld's commitment to important conservation
efforts that support our environment, oceans and marine life," said
Chris Fischer, founding chairman and
expedition leader, OCEARCH. "We all need to do our part to educate
the public about the harmful consequences of plastic pollution,
which we see all too often. We're proud to partner with a
like-minded company like SeaWorld and look forward to continuing
our work together to better understand and protect the habitats of
marine animals."
Despite these strides in curbing plastic pollution, more work
remains to reduce the company's environmental footprint. That's why
SeaWorld is continuing to invest in more renewable energy, such as
the recently launched solar array at Aquatica San Diego, which is
expected to generate 80 to 90 percent of its power from solar
energy. SeaWorld also lowered its greenhouse gas emissions by nine
percent from 2014 to 2017 and improved recycling of waste materials
by more than 50 percent over the same period. Additionally, we
continue our efforts to sustainably-source the food that is served
at the parks, including cage-free eggs and certified organic
coffee, and have implemented a range of water conservation efforts
that are in place, including harvesting rainwater, reusing water
for cooling buildings, and adapting landscaping to require less
water.
"We're proud of the incredible progress our parks have made in
waste, water and energy reduction," said Bill Street, SeaWorld's corporate curator of
conservation and education. "It's efforts like these, multiplied by
key partnerships with conservation-minded organizations, that will
continue to make a difference in how we impact our planet and
benefit the amazing animals that call it home."
Download video here:
https://edelmanftp.box.com/s/9ctnkeficxfb3el9l9nnrpglvfx7vwa8
Video: Sea Turtle Surgery to Remove Plastic
Jon Peterson, Manager of Rescue
Operations at SeaWorld Orlando, discusses the often
life-threatening impact of plastic pollution on marine
wildlife.
About SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment™ is a leading theme park and
entertainment company providing experiences that matter and
inspiring guests to protect animals and the wild wonders of the
world. SeaWorld is one of the world's foremost zoological
organizations and a global leader in animal husbandry, behavioral
management, veterinary care and animal welfare. The company also
rescues and rehabilitates marine and terrestrial animals that are
ill, injured, orphaned or abandoned, with the goal of returning
them to the wild. The SeaWorld® and Busch Gardens® rescue teams
have helped more than 31,000 animals in need over the last 50
years.
SeaWorld owns or licenses a portfolio of recognized brands
including SeaWorld®, Busch Gardens® and Sea Rescue®. Over the
company's more than 50-year history, it has built a diversified
portfolio of 12 destination and regional theme parks that are
grouped in key markets across the United
States. Many of the parks showcase its one-of-a-kind
zoological collection and all of the parks feature a diverse array
of thrill and family rides, shows, educational demonstrations
and/or other attractions with broad demographic appeal which
deliver memorable experiences and a strong value proposition for
guests.
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary
of SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: SEAS), a publicly traded
company. Visit www.seaworldentertainment.com for more.
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SOURCE SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.