Diverting Waste, Protecting Parks
NPF and our largest corporate partner, Subaru, are working to develop and implement innovative solutions that help parks manage waste sustainably and engage park visitors in protecting these landscapes.
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Trash and recycling receptacles at Zion National Park
Nikola Prvanovic for the National Park Foundation
The National Park Foundation (NPF) and Subaru of America have partnered together for over a decade in support of our national parks. As NPF’s largest corporate partner, Subaru has provided over $55 million in support since 2013 including support for resilience and sustainability programs and projects across the country. As NPF and Subaru embark on another year of our innovative partnership, let’s highlight our shared impact.
Don't Feed the Landfills
As a premier partner of NPF’s Resilience and Sustainability initiative, Subaru is providing critical support for the Don’t Feed the Landfills initiative. The initiative helps design infrastructure systems that ensure sustainable and resilient park operations, including waste reduction in parks across the country.
Since launching in 2015, the initiative has helped three pilot parks – Denali National Park & Preserve, Grand Teton National Park, and Yosemite National Park – reduce the waste taken to landfills by half, eliminating nearly 22 million pounds of trash through recycling, composting, and educational initiatives.
With this success, NPF and Subaru have expanded the initiative’s reach, bringing its collaborative approach and innovative solutions to Big Bend National Park and Zion National Park. Every park is unique and brings its own strengths and challenges in developing and implementing sustainability efforts. Together, NPF and Subaru are helping develop innovative solutions and best management practices that can be applied at parks across the country.
Nationwide Projects
In addition to the Don’t Feed the Landfills initiative, NPF and Subaru are also supporting high priority sustainability efforts in parks across the country. NPF has partnered with the National Park Service (NPS) to identify diverse projects that support waste reduction and diversion across all types of National Park System sites.
In the past year, NPF and Subaru supported a variety of these projects, from installing water bottle refilling stations at Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park, to purchasing new recycling containers and solar compactor stations at Joshua Tree National Park. These vital projects make a substantial change in how parks tackle sustainability challenges.
Many of these projects also involve an educational component – from updating signage around recycling bins at Grand Teton National Park to educating park employees and visitors on the benefits of these efforts at Cape Cod National Seashore. Maintaining and protecting our national parks is a shared responsibility, so educating the public and park staff on the importance of these efforts is essential work. In addition to these innovative projects, Subaru and the National Park Foundation are also supporting sustainability efforts at:
- Amache National Historic Site
- Bent’s Old Fort National Historical Site
- Big Bend National Park
- Capulin Volcano National Monument
- Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
- Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park
- Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site
- Zion National Park
NPF and Subaru will expand our shared impact through continued support of high priority National Park Service resilience and sustainability projects in 2024 and beyond.
Keeping our parks green and enhancing environmental stewardship is a big undertaking – collaborative and innovative efforts are the best way to make big strides towards achieving NPS’ sustainability goals. It is partnerships such as that between NPF and Subaru that are leading the way. Together, we are helping protect over 400 national parks for generations to come. Learn more about our partnership.
Related Parks
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Denali National Park and PreserveMt. Denali, formerly Mt. McKinley, is North America's highest mountain, and is contained within Denali National Park in Alaska. -
Grand Teton National ParkLocated only 10 miles from Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park is a stunning national park in Wyoming. -
Yosemite National ParkAs one of America’s most popular national parks, Yosemite boasts some of the best views, hiking trails, and family vacation opportunities in the country. -
Big Bend National ParkBig Bend offers plenty of activities for visitors of all ages. The park boasts 150 miles of hiking trails through mountainous desert terrain and along rivers. -
Zion National ParkUtah’s first national Park, Zion offers hiking, camping, backpacking, climbing, and more, making it a popular summer vacation spot for families and adventurers. -
Rosie the Riveter WWII / Home Front National Historical ParkCalifornia's Rosie the Riveter WWII / Home Front National Historical Park honors the sacrifices of American civilians on the WWII home front.
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Joshua Tree National ParkVisitors can explore 800,000 acres of beautiful terrain in Joshua Tree National Park, where wildlife thrives in temperatures over 100 degrees. -
Cape Cod National SeashoreVisitors to Cape Cod National Seashore can explore Henry David Thoreau's famous route as he traced the coast of the Atlantic Ocean in Massachusetts. -
Bent's Old Fort National Historic SiteHistory lovers will find plenty to explore at Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site, one of the first, and for a time only, major settlements in the west.
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Capulin Volcano National MonumentAlthough long extinct, Capulin Volcano National Monument is dramatic evidence of the volcanic processes that shaped northeastern New Mexico.
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Little Bighorn Battlefield National MonumentLearn about the Battle of Little Bighorn with a guided or self-guided tour, honor the Native Americans who fought there, and visit the Indian Memorial.
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Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical ParkKnown simply as 'M.L.' by his family, it was in these surroundings of home, church and neighborhood that Martin Luther King, Jr. experienced his childhood.
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Sand Creek Massacre National Historic SiteEstablished in 2007, Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site sheds light on a chaotic, horrific, tumultuous, and bloody moment in American history.
