Louisville Zoo teen volunteers Emily Goldstein, an 18-year-old Atherton High School senior, and Brandie Farkas, a 17-year-old Ballard High School senior, were recently named the winners of Project Polar Bear, an international contest hosted by Polar Bears International. The contest challenged teens to find ways to reduce carbon emissions in their home communities.

Goldstein and Farkas received their award at a ceremony at the San Diego Zoo last month. Their grand prize is a 6-day, 5-night trip to Churchill, Manitoba, Canada—the polar bear capital of the world—in October to see polar bears in the wild, go dog sledding and gaze at the Northern Lights.

“It was amazing to win,” Farkas said. “This project means a lot to me, and seeing how many people signed on and responded to our pledge brings me hope for polar bears and other creatures in the future.”

Goldstein agreed.

“We are so excited, and privileged, to have been a part of this amazing project,” Goldstein said. “We are very proud to be able to represent the Louisville Zoo, and to be grouped with the other teams who were finalists. They are all incredible. We want to thank the Zoo for supporting us in this project, and to thank Louisville for their support in helping us reduce energy use in pursuit of our goal of saving the polar bears.”

The teens were one of four finalist teams to travel to San Diego on an all-expense paid trip and VIP tour of the San Diego Zoo and Sea World for the announcement of the winner. The other finalist teams were from Portland, Ore.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Winnipeg, Canada. Polar Bears International received more than 30 contest entries.

“The finalists who competed in Project Polar Bear are the inspiration and the fuel that will drive the solution to the problem facing polar bears,” said Robert Buchanan, president of Polar Bears International. “This is not an irreversible problem. We can take steps to reduce carbon emissions, keep the ice from melting and save the polar bear.”

Goldstein and Farkas’ contest entry was a “Project Polar Bear” website at www.louisvillezoo.org/projectpolarbear designed to educate and convince individuals to make necessary changes in their life to help solve the world-wide climate crisis.

“With this website, we want to share with everyone that it is up to us all to halt global climate change, and every single person can make a difference,” Goldstein said. “If everyone would make even small changes in their lifestyles, it would add up to make the big changes necessary to save not only the polar bears, but the whole planet.”

Their “Project Polar Bear” website contains information and resources on polar bears and climate change in the form of quizzes, a photo gallery and journal. It also offers tips for conserving energy and a commitment pledge to reduce one’s carbon footprint by making simple changes. For example, one can pledge to replace five of his/her most used 75-watt incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent bulbs, which saves 500 pounds of carbon emissions per year.

The teens have been tracking the pledges and so far more than 800 people (in 30 states and oversees) and 15 businesses and organizations have committed to saving nearly 16 million pounds of carbon a year!

Goldstein and Farkas continue to ask local businesses, organizations and individuals to take the pledge.

 “I can’t imagine a world without polar bears,” Goldstein said. “These magnificent animals exemplify the awesome beauty of the Arctic. Yet polar bears and their ecosystem are on the brink of destruction and extinction, threatened by our abuse and neglect. The mighty, magnificent polar bear has become a symbol of hope for a change in our global policies, in our need to fix the damage the human race has caused.”

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If you would like to interview Emily Goldstein or Brandie Farkas about this accomplishment, please contact Louisville Zoo Public Relations Manager Kara Bussabarger at 502-238-5331.