Greener National Parks In America

Many facilities are focused on sustainable operations and climate change. Going green is becoming de rigueur these days, and it's interesting to see how different places are implementing their strategies. The National Park Service is even getting green, and have made an announcement that they are beginning a Green Parks Plan.

What they have already begun, is to designate Climate Friendly Parks. These include Death Valley national Park, the Mojave National Preserve, and Joshua Tree National Park. The program is a way for parks to help lower their climate pollution levels, giving park visitors an educational experience about the ways that global warming is effecting the land, and utilizing climate friendly solutions such as clean energy, waste reduction, and transportation solutions to create a greener environment.

Zion National Park in Washington had a fairly large issue regarding plastic water bottles. Just a few years ago, visitors purchased over 60,000 bottles during their visits. The bottles ended up largely in trash bins or strewn around the park - not a good thing.

But today, things have changed, and the park has taken some drastic steps that have turned the situation around. Guests are now required to bring their own bottles to the park, and they have the option of filling them at any of the six different water stations around the park. They also have the option of purchasing reusable bottles from the park itself.

Yet another issue that plagued Zion Park was that of extremely limited parking. Visitors had access to only a few parking spots, which often filled up quickly. Today, that problem has largely been solved as well. There is a free shuttle bus that they can take right to the park, which is both convenient and environmentally friendly. In fact, 63 percent of them opted to park in a nearby town and take the shuttle bus in.

Another step that parks are taking is in filtering rainwater through sand and then having it pumped through to water taps using energy generated from solar panels. Park visitors find these new green changes both positive and interesting, and seeing them implemented and in action allows them to understand better how they work.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has done some interesting things, too. They have actually brought two buses into service that run on hydrogen fuel cells. These buses are a definite boon, and help people make the 6,000 foot vertical trip in comfort and conscientiously. Again, people are able to see hydrogen fuel in action, which is good because even though many have heard about this type of fuel, it makes a difference seeing it actually implemented.

The National Park Service has truly put its best foot forward with all the different things it is doing to employ a greener set of strategies for the millions of visitors that vacation and visit their locations every year.

By setting such a positive example, other parks and public places are sure to follow in its footsteps, employing environmentally friendly policies and procedures of their own.

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