Phipps Conservatory’s Climate Toolkit Reaches 200 Member Institutions Worldwide
For Immediate Release: Tues., Nov. 19
Contact: Joe Reed | Director of Marketing and Communications
412-622-6915, ext. 3801 | jreed@phipps.conservatory.org
Phipps Conservatory’s Climate Toolkit Reaches 200 Member Institutions Worldwide
A Milestone for Institutions Connecting to Aggressively Address Climate Change
Pittsburgh, PA – Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is excited to announce that its Climate Toolkit initiative now hosts more than 200 member institutions from 23 countries serving more than 100 million annual visitors. The Climate Toolkit was started by Phipps in 2020 as a collaborative opportunity for museums, gardens and zoos to aggressively address climate change within their own organizations and inspire the communities they serve to follow their lead. This year, the Toolkit expanded to include field stations and nature centers among its members.
Currently, the Climate Toolkit embraces thirty-three goals for addressing climate change within the categories of energy, water, waste, food service, transportation, landscapes and horticulture, investments, engagement and research. “The immense growth and interest we’ve seen in the Climate Toolkit over the past year has been truly remarkable to witness. Museums and gardens all over the world are starting to realize the regenerative potential of leading by example to mitigate the climate crisis.” said Climate Toolkit Manager Andrew Lampl.
The Climate Toolkit acts as a resource where institutions can share their progress with their specific climate change goals, mentor others to achieve similar goals and learn additional ways to address climate change from peers, studies and academic literature. All members of the Toolkit have access to the Toolkit blog, newsletters, and quarterly webinar series, all of which will feature stories of the important work that institutions are doing to address various climate goals and provide useful resources.
“Over years of Phipps becoming a world leader in sustainability, we have found that we cannot alleviate climate change through the action of a single institution or a single individual. We need to work together,” said Phipps President and CEO Richard Piacentini. “The impact of the Climate Toolkit community will continue to grow as more and more institutions help each other to build upon their sustainability journeys and take leadership roles in each of their communities.”
In recognition of its efforts to lead by example on sustainability and climate issues, Phipps was recognized this year with the National Medal for Museum and Library Service of the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Green Power Leadership Award of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
To learn more, visit climatetoolkit.org.
###
About Phipps: Founded in 1893, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh, PA is a globally recognized green leader with a mission to inspire and educate all with the beauty and importance of plants; to advance sustainability and promote human and environmental well-being through action and research; and to celebrate its historic glasshouse. Encompassing 15 acres including a historic 14-room glasshouse, 23 distinct indoor and outdoor gardens and industry-leading sustainable architecture and operations, Phipps attracts more than half a million visitors annually from around the world. Learn more at phipps.conservatory.org.
Phipps is proud to be a 2024 recipient of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries that make significant and exceptional contributions to their communities.
Watch TEDx: What We Can Learn From an Old Glasshouse: A look at the evolving way we connect people to nature at Phipps, demonstrate how human and environmental health are inextricably connected, and show that to age gracefully, we must continually reinvent ourselves to evolve with the rest of the world.
