In an effort to reduce landfill waste, Subaru of America, Inc. and the National Parks Conservation Association partnered on a waste-reduction initiative nearly a decade ago that has made major progress, as detailed by Environment + Energy Leader.
Titled the "Don't Feed the Landfills Initiative," the project initially focused on three pilot parks in the United States: Denali National Park & Preserve, Grand Teton National Park, and Yosemite National Park. Subaru and the NPCA collaborated with National Park Service stakeholders to develop innovative infrastructure systems and strategies for waste reduction, and the project has begun to serve as a model for other parks since.
Some waste reduction strategies include offering sustainable food packaging and reusable containers, adding composting bins and water-filling stations, and creating teams tasked with educational outreach. Through its reduction, recycling, composting, and educational programs, the NPCA and Subaru announced the project has eliminated 22 million pounds of waste since its start in 2015.
"Together, we have reduced the amount of waste taken to landfills by half at Denali, Grand Teton, and Yosemite," Subaru of America Senior Vice President of Marketing Alan Bethke said, per Environment + Energy Leader. "We are proud to have provided a scalable waste reduction roadmap that supports the national parks' sustainability efforts for future generations."
By partnering with the NPCA, Subaru is helping spread climate awareness and encouraging park visitors to make eco-friendly choices.
The sustainable practices in the three pilot parks provide a blueprint for other national parks to replicate when adopting waste management strategies. Other parks, such as Big Bend and Zion, are now making eco-friendly changes to reduce waste and phase out single-use plastics.
"Through our nearly 10-year partnership on the Don't Feed the Landfill initiative, we've helped keep millions of pounds of waste out of our parks and the landfills, made it easier and more clear to recycle, and connected with millions of Americans about ways they can help lessen their footprint when they explore our parks," said Theresa Pierno, president and CEO of the National Parks Conservation Association.
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