|
“Everyone, whether or not they visit a national park, is connected to the water, soils, air, and scenery protected within the National Park system, and everyone shares the responsibility to sustain these resources into the future.”
Fran P Mainella, former Director of the National Park Service
Adding Green to Red
Zion’s Commitment to a Sustainable Future
Nestled amongst our vast, towering red walls is a national park which is a national leader in becoming “green”. Zion’s commitment to energy efficiency, recycling, landscaping, and in so many other ways, has received national attention and recognition from numerous agencies and organizations. Through the park’s examples, you will find inspiration and opportunity to further your own commitment toward creating a sustainable future for our children, grandchildren, and our parks. Under each category are "Helping at Home, We're All Connected" suggestions. Additionally, many of Zion’s sustainable practices have “greened” their budget by significantly reducing energy costs.
“Now we need to make it part of our culture and focus on how to become more sustainable ourselves”
-Jock Whitworth, Park Superintendent
“Climate Friendly Parks” is a recent program enacted by the National Park Service. By piloting this initiative through hosting a workshop which resulted in a very ambitious “Climate Action Plan”, Zion is at the forefront in reducing greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to global warming. For more information visit Climate Friendly Parks.
Further, Zion National Park has the good fortune of partnering with Xanterra, one of the “greenest” of park concessionaires, which has been in the vanguard of environmentally friendly businesses. Xanterra operates the Zion Lodge. Everything from organic food, composting food scraps, nontoxic cleaning agents, and retrofitting cabins for energy efficiency, can be found at Zion Lodge. Visit http://www.xanterra.com/ for more. Also, Zion’s gateway community of Springdale has become very proactive in advancing green initiatives including “Springdale Locally is Globally” which features the “Kids at Earth Day” event. See this and more at http://nature.nps.gov/sustainabilitynews/
Perhaps most important, through our myriad educational materials and interpretive programs, we attempt to highlight these activities, and offer suggestions and encouragement for following our lead. We invite you to share your ideas on creating a sustainable future with us!
“Most important are the education and outreach efforts that reflect the passion of both the park and a model gateway community committed to stewardship.”
-Jock Whitworth, Park Superintendent
The nation’s leading voice for the national parks, the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), announced on June 16, 2008 it is launching a new website, Do Your Part for Climate Friendly Parks, which empowers national park visitors to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help national parks nationwide become leaders in combating global warming.
Developed in concert with the Park Service’s Climate Friendly Parks program, the website, http://www.doyourpartparks.org, encourages national park visitors to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and thereby help to protect America’s national parks from the effects of global warming. Visitors choose from a drop-down list of 15 national parks, create a personal profile, and pledge to take climate-friendly actions that would then “benefit” that individual national park.
Zion National Park earned its distinction within the Climate Friendly Parks Program by completing a Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory and Action Plan to reduce greenhouse gases. The park also implemented climate-friendly actions, such as installing occupancy light sensors and solar tubes in facilities, operating 30 propane-powered shuttle buses, and supplying bikes for employees to use while on-duty.
For more on Climate Friendly Parks
Go to:
Kids helping the Park and the Planet
Parent, Grandparents, and Teachers, helping Kids help the Planet
Emerging Culture of Sustainability
Green Travel
|
