"How we treat our most beloved national parks says a lot about who we are as a nation. NPCA will continue to fight to keep single-use plastics out of our parks." -- NPCA's Deputy Vice President Sarah Gaines Barmeyer
BACKGROUND: In response to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum’s order, reversing course on commonsense practices that would reduce the use of single-use plastics in our national parks, wildlife refuges and other public lands by 2032, NPCA responded with the below statement.
A NPCA wildlife poll found that most Americans (82%) believe reducing or eliminating the sale of single-use plastics, including water bottles or straws, in national parks helps protect marine wildlife. And nearly all Americans (92%), support reducing water pollution to better protect marine wildlife.
Statement by Sarah Gaines Barmeyer, Deputy Vice President, Conservation Programs for the National Parks Conservation Association
“Eliminating single-use plastics in our national parks is a win-win for all and NPCA has worked toward this goal for years. Plastic pollution kills countless birds and wildlife, diminishes our water quality and shows up in our oceans and the food we eat. These plastics never dissolve and will outlive us all, impacting our health, our environment and our parks.
“Plastic pollution has plagued our national parks for years. With park visitation at an all-time high, and the Park Service under constant attack from this administration with cuts to their funding and staffing, it is even more challenging for park managers to deal with more waste.
“Phasing out of single-use plastics will protect the very resources and wildlife we all seek to enjoy. Not only does it save money in the long term and park staff time, it greatly improves the visitor experience as shown by a recent NPCA poll. NPCA has long supported the elimination of hard-to-recycle items and single-use plastics in our parks, leading efforts with many partners to encourage and educate good stewardship from park visitors and surrounding communities.
“Some concessioners at parks like Yosemite have eliminated the use of single-use plastics already – it can be done. The lessons we learn from our parks can serve as best practices and be leveraged to reduce plastic pollution more broadly. How we treat our most beloved national parks says a lot about who we are as a nation. NPCA will continue to fight to keep single-use plastics out of our parks.”
###
About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.6 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.
