Fighting Climate Change with Wind Power

At Dublin Zoo, we are working with SSE Airtricity to do what we can to tackle climate change.

One of the greatest threats to the Earth’s biodiversity, climate change is the significant and sustained change in the measures of climate – such as temperature, rainfall, or wind – which can lead to heat waves, droughts, floods, and severe storms.
An important way to ease this threat is to use renewable sources of energy, such as wind and solar power. SSE Airtricity has been harnessing our greatest natural resource for over 25 years, providing cleaner, renewable energy* for homes and businesses across the country.

Dublin Zoo is also looking at ways to be more efficient in its use of energy throughout the Zoo, including switching to more energy-efficient boilers and heaters and using modern, low-energy lighting in animal houses and other buildings.
Using energy more sustainably is a challenge for everyone in Ireland. As part of our sustainability journey, Dublin Zoo and SSE Airtricity are working together to ensure that the Zoo sets an example for visitors and businesses in Dublin and around the country.

What causes climate change?

Climate change is mainly caused by the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, peat, natural gas, and petrol and diesel. These fossil fuels release carbon dioxide and other gases that act as a blanket around the Earth, trapping some of the sun’s heat which would normally radiate back out into space. This process changes land and sea temperatures as well as weather patterns, which many animals and plants can’t easily adapt to.

The good news is that everyone can do their part to use less energy. Always turn off lights, televisions, computers, and other appliances when you’re not using them, and, whenever possible, walk, cycle, or use public transportation instead of driving a car.

*Largest provider of 100% green energy supplied to the grid for homes and businesses based on Electricity Market Share by total GWh for the years 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 combined. Figures published by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) in their most recent Annual Energy and Water Monitoring Reports and annual Fuel Mix Disclosure and CO2 Emissions for years 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.