Who We Are
Supporting the Sciences of Light and Life Through the Arts For Animal Welfare and Wildlife Conservation.
Our Story
Vision & Mission
Our 501 c(3) Mission, ‘Supporting the Sciences of Life and Light through the Arts for Animal Welfare and Wildlife Conservation,’ describes the purpose of the Zoological Lighting Institute (ZLI) best. Our work aims to protect the communities that depend on animals by focusing on light from a scientific perspective.
The Sciences simply refer to the honesty of allowing critical thinking and progress to guide judgements, so that effective actions can be pursued to achieve goals.
The Arts, whether of cultural heritage or modern in character, provide necessary perspectives on the questions that one might pose within the sciences.
We engage the sciences and arts 'for' animal welfare and wildlife conservation; our primary strategies to acknoweldge, manage, and so alleviate individual and community suffering.
Animal Welfare engagement produces mindful action to life around us with respectful care.
Wildlife Conservation gives clear purpose to climate change mitigation and sustainabilty efforts, because 'without life there is no life'.
The Need &
Potential
Without light, there is no life on earth
Life and living individuals only exist because of dynamic, physical light. Life includes human and non-human animals alike, which also depend upon each other. Light might be present under the full light of a noon-day sun, in the darkest of cloudy nights, or even in the depths of the soil or ocean, one photon at a time. Light is habitat, and the diversity of natural light conditions, or 'photodiversity', contributes directly to the biodiversity inherent to life.
Without physical light and the diversity of physical light conditions, no life is possible.
Luminous (light present in materials) habitat conservation is demonstrably an imperative part of animal welfare (the potential for fullness) and wildlife conservation (biodiversity-loss mitigation) alike. Light touches upon each of the UN SDGs, and in so doing make questions of light pollution and other light related modifications to the planet a fundamental issue for individual and community welfare.
There is no organization like us
ZLI is the only charity of its kind in the world. We provide insight, information, tools and solutions for businesses and governments to ensure sustainable and wildlife-friendly development. Science informs better decisions, the arts critique the sciences to combat dogma, animal welfare breeds compassion while enabling deeper understanding of 'what each (individual or species) animal is', and wildlife conservation gives sustainability purpose in acting on the premise that climate change mitigation and resource efficiency must serve life. The Zoological Lighting Institute (ZLI) has been supporting the sciences of life and light through the arts for animal welfare and wildlife conservation since 2012.
ZLI pursues four distinct strategies. ZLI Endowments are intended to fund science. ZALA Stations, and the ZLI Light and the Five Domains Model, support science by articulating how to measure light in biologically relevant ways. AWASH programs put this into practice by engaging the design fields (art, architecture, fashion), and PhotoDiversity Media provides educational resources and the means to expand markets for sensible, science-based living, leading to ZLI Campaigns that articulate why light is so important to all (UN SDGs).
We need your help
Our work would not be possible without the generous donations from people like you who share our vision of a more innovative and creative future. We welcome you to become part of our global community of volunteers, sponsors, and other supporters. Together, we can shape the future today!
ZLI Departments
We connect the dots between science, arts, and wildlife conservation through these 4 key areas:
ZLI Endowments
ZLI Endowments are established to fund research, from post doctoral labs down to pre-K foundational learning, as data-driven science leads to healthier animals and improved wildlife conservation.
PhotoDiversity Media
Thoughtful media fosters empathy for life, healtier living, and community pride, reaching people often separated from direct contact with non-human animals.
AWASH Design
AWASH develops cruelty free design across fashion, architecture, and product design. AWASH mitigates light pollution, stressing the careful use of artificial lighting and alternative strategies to make us less dependent on it.
ZALA Monitoring
Physical light is at the heart of animal welfare and ecological function. ZALA Monitoring Stations offer risk management tools to maximize effectiveness in care and community well-being.
Our environment needs us, and we need you
Support the Cause
Our work would not be possible without the generous donations from people like you who share our vision of a more innovative and creative future.
Give Now
Join the Cause
Become part of our global community of like-minded individuals and organizations to help advance science for wildlife!
Leadership
The Board of Directors provide our organization with vision and leadership. Meet our board members and find out how you can become a member of our board!
Learn More
Team & Advisors
Become part of our global community of staff, advisors, interns and volunteers. Together, we can shape the future today!
