Lights for Lions: Recycle old holiday lights to protect lions and cheetahs in East Africa


As we settle in to 2025 and put the holiday season behind us, what is the best way to dispose of those broken, worn-out strings of holiday lights and extensions cords?

While it may be tempting to just throw them out with the trash, it’s just as easy to drop those useless lights and cords off at one of several locations to support the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s and Cleveland Zoological Society’s Lights for Lions campaign to help save lions and cheetahs in East Africa.

Since 2020, the Cleveland community has raised money for lion and cheetah conservation through recycling used and broken string lights and extension cords at the Zoo, the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District, and other satellite drop off locations.

Lion and cheetah populations have decreased by more than 40% in the last 20 years and the populations are likely to halve again in the next two decades unless a major conservation effort is mounted to save them.

Lights for LionsArtwork by Madyson SinkovicIn partnership with Lion Landscapes, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is working to mitigate human-carnivore conflicts and develop effective, long-term conservation strategies for large carnivores in Tanzania. This organization helps reduce the negative impacts of carnivore presence by providing important conservation-related benefits to local communities.

Lights for Lions has recycled 46.61 tons of material to raise $37,809 for lion conservation to date.

Community members can help out by donating broken and unused holiday lights and extension cords to the Zoo, 3900 Wildlife Way or at the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District, 4750 East 131 Street in Garfield Heights, through Saturday, Feb. 8; or materials can also be dropped at Heights Libraries Lee Road branch, 2345 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights and Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd. through Saturday, Feb. 1.