Jessica Lam, 10, said she had an idea that would help the zoo and the environment at the same time. It also dovetailed nicely with one of the zoo’s biggest annual events: Zoolights.

Why not, Jessica suggested, ask people to bring old strings of Christmas lights to the zoo when they came out to tour the holiday light display? The zoo could sell the old lights to a metal recycling company and use the money to help animals.

“I thought to myself: ‘That’s a great idea. Why didn’t we think of that?’” Chapin, who’s worked at the zoo for seven years, recalled Friday as people began lining up for the first night of Zoolights’ run.

The zoo hopes to collect 10,000 strings of lights. Collection bins are set up at the zoo and other Metro Parks Tacoma locations, including the headquarters building, the Tacoma Nature Center and all Metro Parks community and neighborhood resource centers.

“It’s a citywide effort,” said Whitney DalBalcon of the zoo’s marketing department.

Money from the drive will be deposited into the zoo’s conservation fund, which is used to support species in the zoo’s collection and to help its internal “green” initiatives, DalBalcon said.

Jessica, who’s fond of monkeys, polar bears and sea otters, has high hopes for the project.

“I like helping animals and the environment,” she said Friday at the zoo.

Last year, she ran a similar effort in her hometown to raise money for her school – Nautilus Elementary – her church and World Vision. She raised close to $3,000, said her mother, Danette Lam.

Jessica decided to try her hand at philanthropy after composing a song for a school project. She titled it, “I Can Make a Difference.”

Jessica, who’s still thinking about what she wants to be when she grows up, said she decided crooning about giving wasn’t enough.

“I wanted to do something bigger than just singing,” she said.

She got the idea for collecting and selling Christmas lights from her grandfather, Don Cole, who often sells broken lights from his holiday displays to metal recyclers. The recyclers extract the metals from the lights and wires, then resell them.

Danette Lam said she told her daughter she might have trouble raising as much money as she did last year, what with metals prices being depressed right now.

Jessica wasn’t daunted.

“She says we’ll just have to collect four times as much,” Danette Lam said.

Chapin said he’s not betting against the girl.

“She’s full of enthusiasm, Jessica is,” he said. “You can’t keep her down.”

Adam Lynn: 253-597-8644

ZOOLIGHTS

Where: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma

When: From now until Jan. 4, every day 5 to 9 p.m. except Christmas Eve

Cost: $7; children under 3 free