Month: July 2025

The St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station is making waves with its commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. The St. Louis Aquarium is a 120,000-square-foot facility, filled with more than 13,000 aquatic animals across 44 exhibits, including a 250,000-gallon shark habitat. As a proud participant in the 2024 St. Louis Green Business Challenge, the Aquarium has embraced a hands-on approach to reducing its environmental footprint while inspiring guests to live more sustainably.

“Here at the St. Louis Aquarium, we aim to educate and inspire our guests by bringing them surprisingly close to nature,” said Connor Murray, guest experience supervisor and green team chair member for the St. Louis Aquarium. “We humans share this water planet with some incredible plants and animals, and being a better neighbor with them is surprisingly easy — and intuitive! We’re grateful to the Challenge for helping us explore new ways to engage our guests around living sustainably.”

Throughout the 2024 Challenge, the Aquarium initiated several impactful projects across its operations. It revitalized its Rain Garden, earning certification as a National Wildlife Habitat. The organization also switched to recyclable receipt paper in its ticketing offices and responsibly recycled more than 1,000 pounds of materials over the past year. Additionally, internal systems saw sustainable upgrades, including a reorganized and streamlined staff recycling area to improve access and participation.

The Aquarium’s dedication to innovation even extended to guest-focused sustainability efforts. The Guest Experience team launched a crayon melting initiative, repurposing used crayons to help reduce landfill waste and create fun, eco-conscious souvenirs. In another creative reuse project, retired Team Member shirts were transformed into t-shirt bags during a Friends and Family event. Furthermore, the Life Sciences’ water reclamation process has saved millions of gallons of water per year for future reuse, aiding in the organization’s commitment to responsible water and air quality stewardship.

Through all its endeavors and with every initiative, the St. Louis Aquarium reinforces its three guiding principles: Education, Conservation and Imagination. From habitat restoration to recycling and creative reuse strategies, the Aquarium continues to show how small, intentional changes can spark meaningful environmental impact.

For more information about Saint Louis Aquarium at Union Station and how your organization can get involved in the St. Louis Green Business Challenge, subscribe to the Challenge’s bi-monthly E-Newsletter or visit stlouisgreenchallenge.com. To learn more about the link between sustainability and air quality, explore the Clean Air Partnership’s website, like us on Facebook or follow us on X @gatewaycleanair.

As a proud participant in the 2024 St. Louis Green Business Challenge, Missouri American Water continues to set the standard for environmental leadership. During the Challenge year, the company reported on its Champion Innovation Project – the South Water Treatment Plant Intake System Replacement – a transformative upgrade that underscores how essential service providers can also be leaders in clean air and climate resilience.

Through this forward-thinking infrastructure project, Missouri American Water has delivered measurable, high-impact results that support both environmental stewardship and long-term community health. The Clean Air Partnership is pleased to shine a spotlight on the company for its bold commitment to green infrastructure, helping build a cleaner, more sustainable future for the St. Louis region.

“We are excited to reinforce Environmental Stewardship, one of American Water’s core values, with the replacement of this key facility needed to supply safe and reliable water to our customers in South St. Louis County,” said Mattie Zautner, staff engineer for Missouri American Water.

The project included a host of innovative design elements that support both water quality and air quality goals. One of the most critical enhancements was the elevation of all pump motors and electrical components, positioned nearly 10 feet above the record flood level. This unique design helps reduce the risk of flood damage and ensures ongoing system reliability, even during extreme weather events driven by climate change.

In another nod to sustainability, the company installed six new high-efficiency intake pumps, each with a dedicated flow meter to monitor energy performance. These meters offer real-time insights into pump efficiency, helping reduce energy consumption and associated emissions, which are key contributors to the region’s air quality.

To further minimize operational impact, automated water flushing and air burst cleaning systems were added to reduce the need for manual maintenance and maintain optimal system function. Each pump is also equipped with three vibration sensors to detect potential issues early and improve operational efficiency.

Also part of the project, the addition of standby emergency power not only improved resiliency but ensured continued access to clean water without interruption, which is an especially critical service during climate events. Improved site access also supports safer, more efficient service for large vehicles and maintenance crews, which in turn reduces greenhouse gas emissions that have a negative impact on air quality.

For more information about Missouri American Water and how your organization can get involved in the St. Louis Green Business Challenge, subscribe to the Challenge’s bi-monthly E-Newsletter or visit stlouisgreenchallenge.com. To learn more about the link between sustainability and air quality, explore the Clean Air Partnership’s website, like us on Facebook or follow us on X @gatewaycleanair.

Transit riders and those visiting local establishments along the MetroLink alignment on Wednesday, July 30, be on the lookout for oversized white envelopes with a big, red question mark. These will be hidden in plain sight on the MetroLink and MetroBuses, as well as at Metro Transit Centers and nearby attractions. If you find one, take it, look inside and claim your FREE ride – as each will feature either a complimentary monthly pass for August (valued at $78) or a Metro Adventure Day Pass (valued at $5).

This daylong “surprise and delight” is part of the summerlong “No Red Day” campaign designed to educate community members about the impact of unhealthy air quality and how simple steps, like taking transit, can help prevent a red day from happening. This is particularly important as summer reaches its peak because higher temperatures combined with vehicle emissions can create dangerous levels of ground-level ozone pollution. Red air quality days are the worst on the Air Quality Index and can have serious health consequences for vulnerable populations, including children, seniors and people with respiratory conditions.

If you aren’t among the dozens of individuals to find free passes on July 30, be reminded that all who register for the “No Red Day” campaign at NoRedDay.com receive a Metro Adventure Day Pass via mail to give transit a try.

Join the St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership and Citizens for Modern Transit – along with Metro Transit and hundreds of area residents – in this clean air movement today. Visit NoRedDay.com to learn more.